TENANTS GET A RAW DEAL NORTH OF THE BORDER

League tables: a warning from Scotland

League tables are not the answer to keeping a check on landlords despite what the government says warns Scottish tenant activist David Young.

He says the government should look at the performance of league tables in Scotland before introducing them in England.

League tables are featured in last week`s social housing green paper to asses landlords against a series of performance indicators

 

 David has had many years experience of dealing with housing association landlords  and  now urges leading figures in the housing sector to take a critical  look at the Scottish Housing Regulator`s league tables.

He says this in a message to Community Voice Carlisle blog:

“ From these league tables you can compare different aspects of the operations of each social housing supplier from rents, complaints, repairs etc.

“But the the housing regulator allows  only the social housing supplier to provide the information. The housing regulator does not require the tenants of the social housing supplier to confirm that the information is correct or even scrutinised.!

“AND THERE`S THE RUB

“The housing regulator does not converse with any tenants directly or even with their tenant representatives / associations. The housing regulator was set up about five years ago with sole remit of protecting the tenants and yet has no protocols in place for consulting or contacting them. And the tenants are actively discouraged from contacting the regulator !

“The same applies to the Scottish Tenant Information Service. It was  set up by the government to be seen to be protecting the tenants but actually it provides a "legal" portal for housing providers to claim that they are conforming when actually the government does no checks on the information provided!

“DONT LET THE SAME HAPPEN IN ENGLAND

“As for the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman he simply admonishes the failing housing suppliers with a rap on the knuckles .He has never fined any social housing supplier.”

David is a council tenant in Irvine.He was previously secretary of Carlisle and Rural Tenants` Federation, the predecessor organisation of Carlisle Tenants and Residents` Federation which publishes this blog.

David`s criticism comes after warnings from some English housing association leaders that league tables could be ‘blunt’ and ‘counter productive.`


Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 522277 or 01228 532803