What is tenant participation?
Tenant participation gives tenants an opportunity to influence decisions about the housing services they receive. And it gives landlords better links to the community and the opportunity to work with others.
The introduction of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 created a legal requirement for landlords to actively develop and support tenant participation.
Why do we do it?
We do it, not only because it makes sense, it is the right thing to do and it has proven benefits but also, it’s the law!
You may have heard of the Scottish Social Housing Charter (2023). The Social Housing (Regulation) Act 2023 introduced new measures to improve the standards, safety and operation of social housing including the requirement for all Registered Social Landlords/Housing Associations to submit an Annual Return on the Charter (ARC) to the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR).
The ARC outlines how we have performed in the previous year against the set of standards that are set out by the Housing Regulator. You can find out more by searching for The Scottish Social Housing Charter online, or you can contact the office if you would like a paper copy of the Charter.
In the Charter, there are 16 outcomes on which Landlords need to report. Outcome 3 is about Participation but links in with all the other outcomes.
What are the benefits?
The impact of participation and the empowerment that goes along with that, is linked to benefits including improved services and a sense of community and wellbeing. This is because the process helps us take the time to understand what you want. This includes checking what you think about what we are doing, identifying and solving problems and helping you understand how we work. It provides the time and space to think about and express your views. Acting on this feedback improves service design, delivery and raises standards within services. It can also lead to improved customer satisfaction.
Click the link below to find out the ways you can get involved.
