Regulator has been forced to intervene in the running of two housing associations and says it is because they did not follow their own rules

Scotland’s Housing Regulator is urging all registered social landlords (RSLs) to make sure they fully comply with their own rules.

The regulator has had to intervene in two housing associations recently because they did not follow their own rules, leading to major governance failures that put tenants’ interests at risk.

In each case the organisations did not elect its governing body in line with statutory charity law, resulting in a governing body that was unable to make decisions and statutory action was the only way to address the problem.

Michael Cameron, the Scottish Housing Regulator’s chief executive, explained: “We’re approaching the time of year when RSLs are preparing for their AGMs. In light of these recent cases it’s critical that RSLs understand and follow their rules. It may seem obvious, but it’s important to get the basics right.”

The regulator raised this issue during a round-table breakfast discussion earlier today with stakeholders including landlords, membership bodies, lenders and Scottish Government officials.

The session focused on the themes from the regulator’s recently-published regulation plans. A key topic of the discussion was the need for landlords to assess themselves against the regulatory standards of governance and financial management.

Regular self-assessment is one important way for RSL governing bodies to get assurance about how their organisation is run and to ensure that they are complying with standards.