The Scottish Housing Regulator has written to all registered social landlords with more information on the extension of the financial return submission dates in light of the Coronavirus pandemic. In its letter, the Regulator recognises the many challenges RSLs face and that some of these challenges relate to the deadline for submitting their audited annual accounts and other financial returns to SHR.
The letter confirms to landlords that the annual regulatory returns will have extended deadlines. The Regulator’s letter states: “Given the unprecedented challenges that RSLs face, we are extending the submission date for the FYFP to 30 September 2020.” And “The Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Bill has extended the timescale for RSLs to submit audited annual accounts to us from within six months of the end of the period to which they relate to within nine months of the end of the period to which they relate. In line with this, we are extending the deadline for the Annual Financial Statements submission to 31 December 2020”.
Ian Brennan, the Regulator’s Director of Regulation, said: “We want to continue to support social landlords through the Coronavirus crisis. The feedback from RSLs and the Social Housing Financial Resilience Group is that extending the submission dates should both ease the burden over the coming months and allow forecasts to be based on the best and most up to date information available”.
Notes to editors
- The Scottish Housing Regulator was established on 1 April 2011 under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010. Its objective is to safeguard and promote the interests of tenants and others who use local authority and RSL housing services. The Regulator operates independently of Scottish Ministers and is accountable directly to the Scottish Parliament. It assumed its full regulatory responsibilities on 1 April 2012. The Regulator consists of the Chair and six Board members. More information about the Regulator can be found on its website at housingregulator.gov.scot
- SHR sets out how it regulates social landlords in its published framework – Regulation of Social Housing in Scotland.