The Scottish Social Housing Charter

The Scottish Social Housing Charter is a set of standards and expectations for social housing providers like Bridgewater Housing Association in Scotland. It outlines what tenants and other customers can expect from landlords like us, focusing on:

• Equality and non-discrimination: Fair treatment for all, regardless of personal characteristics.
• Customer/landlord relationship: Effective communication, respect, and responsiveness to tenant needs.
• Housing quality and maintenance: Decent homes, timely repairs, and energy efficiency.
• Neighbourhood and community: Safe and attractive surroundings, support for local initiatives.
• Access to housing and support: Fair allocation of housing and assistance for vulnerable individuals.
• Value for money: Transparent rent and service charges, cost-effectiveness in management.
• Other customers: Support for specific groups like homeless people and applicants.

The Charter impacts Bridgewater Housing Association in several ways:

• Sets performance benchmarks: The association must strive to meet the 16 outcomes and standards outlined in the Charter.
• Promotes accountability: Tenants can use the Charter to hold Bridgewater Housing Association accountable for its performance.
• Informs service delivery: The Charter guides Bridgewater Housing Association's policies and actions to ensure they align with tenant expectations.
• Subject to assessment: The Scottish Housing Regulator assesses social landlords' performance against the Charter, and their findings are publicly available.

This means Bridgewater Housing Association needs to constantly evaluate its services and make improvements to meet the Charter's standards. Tenants can also use the Charter to raise concerns and track the association's progress. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that tenants in social housing have access to good quality homes and services.

For more information about the Charter please see the Scottish Housing Regulator website.