Attendees:
TTS: Shona Gorman (SG), June Anderson (JA), John Duffy (JD), Margaret Dymond (MDy), Liz McKnockiter (LMcK), Scott Macleod (SM) and Gordon Saunders (GS).
SHR: Helen Trouten Torres (HTT – Chair), Kelda McMichael (KM), Emma McClorey (EM); Caroline Cameron-Russell (CCR), Suchitra Dutt (SD) (Items 1-2 only) and Rebecca Gibb (RG) (Items 1-2 only).
Apologies: SHR: Marieke Dwarshuis (MDw)
Welcome and Introductions
HTT welcomed attendees and advised that EM would now be supporting Liaison Group business alongside KM as CCR had joined another team within SHR and this would be her final meeting as secretariat. Group members thanked CCR for her support over the years.
SD and RG were welcomed to the meeting to present findings from the Homelessness Tenancy Sustainment Tenant Advisor Exercise.
Declarations of Interest
JD – North Lanarkshire Federation of Tenants member
MDy – TPAS Board member
GS – TIS Board member
SG – Link Group Board member
SM – Albyn Housing Society Board member
JA – Clackmannanshire Tenants and Residents Federation member
Action Log
HTT advised one action remained outstanding TTS015 – SHR to present findings from the Homelessness Tenancy Sustainment Tenant Advisor Exercise. This item was scheduled for discussion under agenda item 2. Following completion of that agenda item, the action was closed.
Homelessness Tenancy Sustainment Tenant Advisor Exercise
SD and RG presented early findings from the Tenant Advisor exercise exploring tenancy sustainment for people who have experienced homelessness. They highlighted that:
- Sustaining tenancies is central to preventing repeat homelessness and links directly to the Scottish Social Housing Charter.
- The exercise aimed to improve understanding of what helps landlords achieve strong tenancy sustainment outcomes for tenants who were previously homeless.
- The work focused on identifying effective practice and key challenges from a tenant perspective and was not intended to assess landlord performance.
- Analysis is ongoing, with publication of findings expected later in Spring 2026.
The Group discussed:
- Emerging themes from initial analysis.
- The recruitment of Tenant Advisors to ensure geographic spread and diverse experience.
- The purpose of the exercise in identifying and sharing good practice rather than assessing funding or compliance.
- The impact of tenancy start‑up standards, including provision of basic fittings, on tenancy sustainment and tenant wellbeing.
- Differences between RSL and local authority contexts, particularly relating to statutory homelessness duties.
Members welcomed the exercise and reflected that the early key themes identified closely aligned with lived experience and sector challenges. The group discussed the public value of sustainment activity in preventing repeat homelessness.
Group members had received an in-advance briefing document on this exercise. KM requested that this was not shared more widely at this stage because this provided some initial findings, but a report on this work will be finalised and published in the coming months.
HTT thanked SD and RG for the presentation.
Engagement Plans and Outcomes of the Annual Regulatory Risk Assessment
KM provided an overview of the regulatory risk assessment and the engagement plans published on 2 April 2026.
Key points included:
- The majority of landlords continue to meet regulatory requirements.
- SHR plans to engage with approximately 80 landlords (55 RSLs and 25 local authorities) during 2026/27.
- Key strategic risks include financial resilience, cost‑of‑living pressures, homelessness pressures, governance, tenant and resident safety, data quality, cyber security, RAAC and cladding, development capacity, and damp and mould.
Discussion focused on:
- Pressures facing local authorities, including the scale of homelessness demand and refugee resettlement in some areas.
- How landlords move out of systemic failure, noting that improvement pathways are often highly localised.
KM responded to questions and outlined the constraints of SHR’s regulatory role in relation to systemic failure - SHR recognises the pressures and has a role in monitoring that Local Authorities are doing what they can within available resources.
Tenants Together (Scotland) Update
SG provided an update on TTS activity, supported by a written paper circulated in advance:
- Several TTS members had attend the CIH conference in March. TTS had a stand at the event; and two members participated in a Tenant Engagement Panel.
- TTS are working with TPAS and hope to issue surveys to all landlords on Rent Consultation and Re-let Standards by the end of April.
- TTS AGM will take place on 30 May with a webinar for current members on 13 May.
- The TTS Website continues to be updated with new features coming soon.
- TTS will have a stand at the TPAS conference in June and members will participate in a workshop.
SG and the rest of the group also congratulated JA on her Lifetime Achievement Award at the Aico Community Awards 2026 for her longstanding contributions to tenant participation and community leadership.
Members discussed and raised questions regarding:
- Damp and mould: Damp and mould: In particular, the increase in volume of damp and mould compensation claims being received by the sector; and the associated financial and organisational costs being borne as a result, even where claims are not upheld. TTS members noted the importance of information sharing and sharing good practice in this area and were keen to understand what information SHR held on this issue. SM noted this issue was being raised at landlord discussion forums & networks. KM explained that anecdotally SHR were aware of such compensation claims and that some landlords has notified SHR via the Notifiable Event process (Landlords should notify SHR on any legal proceedings taken against the RSL which may have significant consequences for the RSL in the event of success).
- Local Government Housing & Planning Committee and future scrutiny of SHR: KM noted that SHR will work with the new parliamentary committee on any review it wishes to undertake.
- SHR budget: The group queried the impact of SG funding for SHR for the coming years. KM noted the funding settlement was challenging, and so SHR have initiated an internal review of how it operates, with the objective to identify an operating model that delivers effective regulation, while reflecting the level of resource SHR will have over the period of the Spending Review. KM noted we would continue to update the group on progress.
- Tenant Engagement: The group discussed how tenant engagement is reviewed as part of the SHR risk assessment process.
- RSL finances: TTS members asked how SHR monitor the increasing financial challenges & expectations facing landlords. KM explained the annual returns which RSLs must make to SHR; and SHR expectations on landlords regarding financial planning. She also explained that many landlords have told SHR they are waiting for more clarity on the Scottish Government’s proposed Social Housing Net Zero Standard and how this will be financed to determine what they will be required to plan for. In the meantime, many RSLs report they are focussing on a “no-regret” fabric first approach to energy efficiency investment.
- Charter indicators and tenant surveys: TTS members queried the required ordering of questions related to tenant satisfaction in the charter and tenant satisfaction surveys and the scope to ask these in a differing order. KM agreed to look into this and come back to the group. Action TTS016: KM to provide clarification on ordering of tenant satisfaction questions.
Chair Update
HTT provided an update on recent Consumer Scotland findings and reflected on their relevance to SHR’s current and future work. HTT acknowledged the report from Consumer Scotland is a helpful contribution to better understanding the views and perceptions of tenants of social landlords, and it sits alongside the work SHR do with the National Panel of Tenants and Service Users and the regular tenant satisfaction surveys undertaken by social landlords.
SHR will engage with the Scottish Government to discuss the recommendations from the report as it reviews the Social Housing Charter and will also engage with the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman to explore ways to heighten awareness of complaints procedures and performance.
Members shared reflections on accessibility, disability rights, and the practical challenges of implementing some recommendations given resource constraints. It was acknowledged that some matters sit beyond SHR’s regulatory remit or will be difficult to pursue given resources constraints mentioned earlier in the session.
Due to time constraints, it was agreed that KM would circulate some additional information on the Consumer Scotland recommendations after the meeting. Action TTS017: KM to circulate further information on Consumer Scotland recommendations.
Tenant Advisors and National Panel
An update had been provided in writing in advance of the meeting. KM invited questions; none were raised.
SHR Updates
Written updates had been circulated in advance. KM invited questions; none were raised.
The group then discussed the draft ‘How we include tenants and service users’ strategy which had been circulated to TTS in early April. The group had previously discussed this strategy at their November 2025 meeting in a session focussed on Tenant Engagement; and then again in February 2026, when an overview of future steps to publication was discussed and where it was agreed they would see a final draft for comments before publication. (Action Point TTS015).
TTS members noted that this was a one-year strategy to fit with a review of SHR’s operating model and were content with the draft on this basis. They highlighted a desire to see more impact-related content within future (or accompanying) documents, including clearer evidence of how tenant engagement has directly shaped, influenced and informed SHR’s work and decisions.
The group requested that for any future consultations, TTS are provided with a timeline so that expectations were clear on input points and expected outcomes. Action TTS018: Future consultations with the TTS Liaison Group to be tracked in a timeline
It was agreed to proceed with publication and that Group members would be involved in the review after one year.
Any Other Business
TTS Members noted the length and breadth of the meeting agenda and asked for additional time in future agendas for the TTS updates. It was agreed that quarterly meetings remained a valuable forum for dialogue.
TTS Members requested that advanced papers are provided in a ‘Board Pack’ style going forward – e.g. one PDF document rather than multiple documents. Action TTS019: Future TTS SHR Liaison Group advance papers to be provided in a combined PDF pack
HTT thanked CCR for her work supporting the Liaison Group.
Date of Next Meeting
The next meeting will take place on Tuesday 18 August 2026 – In person
Remaining 2026 meeting dates:
- Tuesday 10 November 2026 – Online