Why we are engaging with Midlothian Council (Midlothian)
We are engaging with Midlothian about its services for people who are homeless and service quality.
During 2025/26, we reviewed and compared the data for all local authorities from the Scottish Government’s national homelessness statistics. We also spoke to all local authorities to gather further information and assurance about their homelessness services.
In 2026/27, we will engage with Midlothian about the following areas:
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the provision of temporary accommodation by Midlothian to people who are homeless; and
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outcomes for people who are homeless.
To assess the risk to social landlords we have reviewed and compared the 2024/25 service quality performance of all social landlords. We will engage with Midlothian because its emergency repair times are one of the highest of all social landlords.
What Midlothian must do
Midlothian must:
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send us the information we require in relation to its homelessness service;
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tell us about any emerging issues preventing it from fulfilling its statutory duty to provide temporary accommodation when it should and comply with the Unsuitable Accommodation Order; and
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improve its emergency repairs performance and tell us when it has delivered the necessary improvements.
What we will do
We will:
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review the information Midlothian provides about its homelessness service;
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meet with Midlothian by 31 July 2026 to discuss its homelessness service and engage as necessary;
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meet with Midlothian to seek assurance if it does not provide temporary accommodation when it should, or if it breaches the Unsuitable Accommodation Order;
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review the information that Midlothian provides about its improvements to its emergency repairs performance and engage as necessary; and
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update our published engagement plan in the light of any material change to our planned engagement with Midlothian.
Regulatory Returns
Midlothian must provide us with the following annual regulatory returns:
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Annual Assurance Statement; and
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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.