Why we are engaging with Inverclyde Council (Inverclyde)
We are engaging with Inverclyde about its services for people who are homeless and its proposals to transfer a small number of tenanted, council-owned homes to a local RSL.
COVID-19 has significantly impacted the services provided by social landlords in 2020 and will continue to influence how services are provided in 2021. We will continue to monitor, assess and report upon how each landlord is responding and we will keep our regulatory engagement under review so that we can continue to respond to the challenges of COVID-19.
We have reviewed the information on homelessness in the COVID-19 monthly returns. We will discuss with Inverclyde the impact of the pandemic on outcomes for people who are threatened with, or are experiencing, homelessness, how it is working with its Registered Social Landlord partners to provide accommodation, and review our engagement.
Inverclyde has told us that it owns around 12 tenanted homes. It is currently considering plans to transfer the majority of these homes in consultation with the tenants.
What Inverclyde must do
Inverclyde must:
- provide us with the information we may require in relation to its homelessness service;
- keep us updated on its plans to transfer its tenanted homes; and
- ensure that it meets all of its statutory obligations to its tenants including on consultation about the transfer of homes and on the Scottish Social Housing Charter.
What we will do
We will:
- meet with Inverclyde to discuss its homelessness service and decide whether we require any additional assurance;
- meet with Inverclyde to discuss progress in transferring the majority of its homes; and
- update our published engagement plan in light of any material change to our planned engagement with Inverclyde.
Regulatory returns
Inverclyde must provide us with the following annual regulatory returns and alert us to notifiable events as appropriate:
- Annual Assurance Statement; and
- Annual Return on the Charter.
It should also notify us of any material changes to its Annual Assurance Statement, and any tenant and resident safety matter which has been reported to or is being investigated by the Health and Safety Executive or reports from regulatory or statutory authorities or insurance providers, relating to safety concerns.