Standard Security and Payment Arrangements to Support Owner
Renfrewshire Council · 19 May 2026
Back to Communities and Housing Policy Board — 19 May 2026 and its agenda
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 19th May 2026 ___________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Housing, Environment and Infrastructure and Director of Finance and Resources ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Standard Security and Payment Arrangements to Support Owner Participation in Mixed‑Tenure Housing Investment 1. Summary 1.1 The Council continues to deliver a wide range of housing investment and improvement programmes, including works to common parts in mixed-tenure blocks both within and outwith designated housing regeneration areas. Collectively, these programmes are focused on improving the quality, safety, energy efficiency and sustainability of the housing stock, supporting climate objectives, and contributing to the wider regeneration and resilience of Renfrewshire’s communities. 1.2 The participation of private owners, including owner-occupiers and private landlords, in mixed-tenure blocks is critical to maximising the effectiveness and long-term impact of these investment programmes. Experience from consultation completed or ongoing across regeneration areas, as well as delivery through other housing improvement and common-works programmes, has highlighted that additional assistance or incentives could support higher levels of private-owner participation. Without such interventions, there is a risk of reduced take-up, incomplete works, and diminished outcomes for residents and the Council’s wider housing investment objectives. 1.3 Between 2010 and 2015, the Housing and Community Safety Policy Board authorised the use of standard securities to support private owners participating in Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) common works. Initially, eligibility was limited to works exceeding £10,000; however, as grant funding reduced costs to owners, the financial thresholds were subsequently reduced and ultimately removed.
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PUBLIC A standard security is a legal document most commonly used for mortgages and secured loans, which is formally registered in the Land Register of Scotland. The availability of standard securities was well received by private owners and proved effective in securing participation in SHQS common works from owners who would otherwise have been unable or unwilling to proceed. 1.4 This report seeks authority to extend the use of standard securities to current housing investment programmes where similar challenges are arising due to financial constraints affecting private owner participation. In combination with other measures, including the introduction of interim invoicing arrangements, this approach is expected to increase private owner engagement, enable additional blocks to proceed to investment, and reduce the number of blocks currently excluded from improvement programmes. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations It is recommended that the Communities and Housing Policy Board: 2.1 Authorise use of standard securities for owners of property in mixed tenure blocks that are subject to investment programmes to increase owner participation where necessary and in line with agreed budget provisions. 2.2 Note the revised operational payment arrangements that will be put in place to support owner participation as set out in section 4 of the report. ___________________________________________________________________ 3. Background 3.1 The Council’s housing investment activity supports the maintenance and improvement of Council‑owned housing and mixed‑tenure blocks across Renfrewshire, with a particular focus on complying with regulatory standards such as the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) and the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESH). Investment is targeted primarily at works to the external fabric and shared common areas of buildings, including closes, backcourts, bin stores and recycling facilities, which are critical to meeting SHQS standards and safeguarding the long‑term condition, safety and sustainability of the housing stock. 3.2 The proposed extension of the use of standard securities, alongside the procedural improvements set out in Section 4 of this report, is intended to address the well‑established delivery challenges associated with mixed‑tenure ownership, where non‑participation by private owners can prevent the Council from completing common works in full.
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PUBLIC 3.3 The Council’s ongoing housing investment programmes are also intended to deliver substantial improvement across mixed tenure housing stock throughout Renfrewshire. Experience from both regeneration and wider housing investment programmes has highlighted consistent challenges in securing owner participation, often due to the financial implications associated with common works. In response, financial processes and support mechanisms are being further developed to extend the range of payment options open to owners and to maximise participation levels across the investment programme. 3.4 In January 2015, the Housing and Community Safety Policy Board approved the use of standard securities to support private owners participating in Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) common works. This enabled the Council to meet owners’ costs upfront and secure recovery against the property. This allowed a flexible, case-by-case approach to maximise owner participation while safeguarding the Council’s ability to recover costs on sale, transfer or remortgage. 3.5 As with the previous arrangements approved in connection with SHQS common works, the use of standard securities would continue to provide targeted assistance to eligible private owners by enabling the Council to meet their share of approved works upfront. The Council’s costs would be secured against the owner’s property and recovered in accordance with an agreed repayment plan, with recovery additionally supported by settlement on the sale or transfer of the property, thereby supporting participation while protecting the Council’s upfront financial investment. 4. Repayment Arrangements 4.1 The Head of Housing Services in consultation with the Director of Finance and Resources, will establish and implement procedures that will allow private owners within mixed-tenure blocks to be issued with an initial invoice at an earlier stage in the works programme. 4.2 To recognise the significant costs associated with participation in enhanced investment programmes, the Council will issue an initial invoice following consultation and agreement with owners, rather than on completion of works. This will enable owners to begin making payments earlier and spread costs over a longer period. Officers will also continue to provide guidance and support to private owners and, where appropriate, signpost other forms of financial assistance. 4.3 A final account will be issued on completion of the works, with any payments made to date credited accordingly. The Council’s standard debt- recovery processes will apply following the issue of the final invoice, with the amended invoicing approach intended to support affordability and reduce repayment risk, rather than alter existing recovery arrangements.
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PUBLIC 4.4 The extended repayment period would operate alongside existing assistance arrangements. Private owners would continue to be eligible for Private Sector Housing Grant and any applicable energy-related funding, with repayment arrangements applying only to the residual liability after all available grant assistance has been considered. 4.5 As an extension of the authority approved in relation to SHQS common works in 2015, eligible private owners may grant a standard security in favour of the Council, alongside a tailored repayment plan underpinned by the operational arrangements outlined above. Any individual arrangement would require approval by the Head of Housing Services, in consultation with the Director of Finance and Resources. Standard securities would be granted on a voluntary basis only by the registered owner or owners, subject to there being no title restrictions preventing the granting of such security and would rank subordinate to any existing security or mortgage over the property. 4.6 The use of Standard Security for these types of debts provides the Council with the following protections: • the debt is secured against the property; • title cannot transfer without settlement; and • recovery can be enforced on sale, remortgage, succession or estate closure. This approach materially reduces the risk of non-recovery associated with owner contributions and positively supports earlier collection in some cases. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial - The Housing-Led Regeneration and Renewal and HRA Capital Investment Programmes are funded through financially sustainable borrowing within the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), supported by the 30-year HRA Business Plan. The introduction of a standard security mechanism to support private owner participation does not increase the overall capital cost of the programme. While short-term repayment patterns may vary, the registration of a standard security provides a high degree of long-term recoverability, with full settlement enforceable on sale, transfer, remortgage or succession. This is consistent with established practice under existing Schemes of Assistance and Missing Share powers. In line with prudent financial management, provision for bad debt risk will be reflected within the HRA Business Plan, recognising that arrears may arise during repayment periods, but with high ultimate recovery rates due to the secured nature of the debt. All legal, registration and administration costs will be recoverable from private owners where appropriate and in accordance with the proposed policy framework, supporting cost neutrality over the life of each agreement.
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PUBLIC 2. HR & Organisational Development – None 3. Community/Council Planning – • Our Renfrewshire is well – this investment programme is contributing to improved wellbeing and quality of life for residents. • Our Renfrewshire is thriving – this investment programme will deliver a diverse range of economic and community benefit packages over the lifetime of the project. • Our Renfrewshire is safe – ensuring our neighbourhoods are safe and attractive places to live. 4. Legal - Work will be required on the negotiation, registration and subsequent discharge of standard securities granted in line with this authorisation and, if necessary, in relation to debt recovery. 5. Property/Assets - There is the potential for further mixed tenure blocks to be added to the improvement programme to increase the impact these works will make to tenants, residents and the wider communities they are within. 6. Information Technology - None 7. Equality & Human Rights - The Recommendations contained within this report have been assessed in relation to their impact on equalities and human rights. No negative impacts on equality groups or potential for infringement of individuals’ human rights have been identified arising from the recommendations contained in the report. If required following implementation, the actual impact of the recommendations and the mitigating actions will be reviewed and monitored, and the results of the assessment will be published on the Council’s website. 8. Health & Safety - None 9. Procurement - A Procurement Strategy has been developed to ensure the delivery of the investment, demolition and newbuild programmes include locally deliverable community benefits from each contract. 10. Risk - The Investment and Housing-Led Regeneration and Renewal Programmes both have active risk registers which consider various risks including those relating to financial matters as referred to in the implications section of this report. Both risk registers are monitored and regularly updated throughout the delivery of both works programmes. They have been updated recently to include risk of default of any payment arrangements entered into in relation to this report. 11. Privacy Impact - None 12. Climate Risk - Delivery of the investment programme will contribute towards meeting the Council’s targets on climate change. 13. Children’s Rights - None
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PUBLIC 14. Cosla Policy Position - None ___________________________________________________________________ List of Background Papers Report to the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, 20 August 2024, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire – Year 3 Update’. Report to the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, 7 March 2023, ‘Private Sector Housing Grant – proposed change to Scheme of Assistance in Housing Regeneration Areas’ Report to the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, 15 March 2022, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire’. Report to the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, 18 January 2022, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire’. Report to the Communities, Housing and Planning Policy Board, 18 May 2021, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire’. Report to Council, 17 December 2020, ‘Housing-led Regeneration and Renewal Programme for Renfrewshire’ Report to Housing and Community Safety Policy Board, 20 January 2015, ‘Scottish Housing Quality Standard – Financial Review and Update’ The foregoing background papers will be retained within Housing Services for inspection by the public for the prescribed period of four years from the date of the meeting. The contact officer within the service is Jennifer Murdoch, Housing Regeneration Manager, 07811 053038, Jennifer.murdoch@renfrewshire.gov.uk ___________________________________________________________________ Author: Jennifer Murdoch, Housing Regeneration Manager Email: jennifer.murdoch@renfrewshire.gov.uk