Social Housing Charter Performance - 2025-26 Six Month Update - Report
Renfrewshire Council · 28 October 2025
Back to Communities and Housing Policy Board — 28 October 2025 and its agenda
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PUBLIC ___________________________________________________________________ To: Communities and Housing Policy Board On: 28 October 2025 __________________________________________________________________ Report by: Director of Environment, Housing and Infrastructure ___________________________________________________________________ Heading: Social Housing Charter Performance: 2025/26 Six Month Update ___________________________________________________________________ 1. Summary 1.1 Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords are required to submit an Annual Return on the Charter relating to service performance to the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) by the end of May each year. 1.2 This report provides an update on performance against the Charter indicators for the first six months of 2025/26 and includes the new indicators as determined by the Regulator. 1.3 We only report on seventeen indicators for the six-month report, as opposed to 33 for the Annual Return on the Charter. Three of these are new indicators and as such there is no trend information for comparison, and in another case comparison is not applicable (in connection with court actions leading to eviction). Of the remainder ten have improved since April 2024, whilst three have remained relatively stable. 1.4 This report also provides a summary of benchmarking performance for the 2024/25 ARC return. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. Recommendations 2.1 It is recommended that the Policy Board: (i) notes the 2025/26 Six Month Update Report on Scottish Social Housing Charter Performance attached as Appendix 1.
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PUBLIC 3. Six Month Update on Charter Report for 2025/26 3.1 The six month update on Scottish Social Housing Charter Performance provides information on the first two quarters of 2025/26: • Section 1 provides performance information against the Charter indicators along with comparative data for the last three years. For ease of reference, indicators which are only reported on an annual basis are not included in this report (these annual indicators were reported to the Policy Board in May 2025). This report contains three new indicators to be reported to the SHR for the first time in May next year, these are: • Indicator 29: The number of times in the reporting year did you not meet the requirement to complete an electrical installation condition report (EICR) within five years of the last EICR. • Indicator 30: Number of homes that do not have ‘satisfactory equipment for detecting fire and giving warning in the event of fire or suspected fire installed at the year end. • Indicator 31: Average length of time taken to resolve cases of damp and/or mould. There are two additional damp and mould indicators which will be reported on an annual basis, and as such are not included in this report: • Indicator 32: Percentage of cases of damp and/or mould resolved during the reporting year that were reopened by cause. • Indicator 33: Number of open cases of damp and/or mould at the year end. 3.2 The six-month data for 2025/26 displays improved performance in ten of the indicators, the key areas of improved performance being: • The average time to complete emergency repairs has improved from 5.2 hours to 4.9 hours (Indicator 8). • The average time to complete non-emergency repairs has also improved to 6.1 days from 6.9 days (Indicator 9). • Repairs Satisfaction has improved to 79.7% from 77.2% (Indicator 12). • Percentage of rent lost to properties becoming empty continues to improve (Indicator 17). • Sustainment levels have improved across all categories from the year end position. (Indicator 15). • Percentage of lettable houses that became vacant in the last year, has improved compared to the same point last year. (Indicator 16) • Letting activity, there is further improvement in the average days to re-let a property, which is now sitting at 30.1 days, which reflects the ongoing focus on this service area (Indicator 26). • Percentage of anti-social behaviour cases resolved has improved slightly and is better than this time last year, (Indicator 14).
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PUBLIC • Complaints performance has remained stable with regard to the percentage responded to at Stage 1, and there was a slight improvement in the average length of time to respond for Stage 1. For Stage 2 complaints the percentage responded to improved slightly and there was a ten day improvement in the average number of days to respond (Indicators 3 & 4). Whilst marginal improvements are noted here, we are continuing to target complaints as an area for further improvement. 3.4 The following indicators have remained stable since April or this point last year: • There were five occasions where the gas service was not carried out before the anniversary date (Indicator 11). All of these have subsequently been carried out and there are no further outstanding services. • Rent collected as a percentage of rent due, (Indicator 22) • Gross rent arrears as a percentage of rent due, same as this point last year. (Indicator 23). 3.5 2024/25 Annual return on the ARC, Benchmarking In May 2025 we submitted our return to the Scottish Housing Regulator to demonstrate our performance against the Annual Return on the Scottish Social Housing Charter. Following publication of all the data from all local authorities and RSLs, our performance demonstrated improvements in rent collection, arrears management, repairs, and re-let times. Rent collection reached 100.7%, and arrears dropped to 7.1%, outperforming most local authorities. Re-let times improved significantly to 37.3 days, placing Renfrewshire among the top ten performers nationally. Emergency and non- emergency repair times also improved, with non-emergency repairs completed in just 6.9 days—well ahead of national averages. The Council’s compliance with the Scottish Housing Quality Standard rose to 80%, and satisfaction with repairs increased slightly. Medical adaptations were completed more quickly, and tenancy sustainment improved to 91.5%. Notably, referrals of homeless households to Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) rose to 31.6%, more than double the national average. However, some areas require attention, notably complaints, where volumes were high, with response times above national averages. This could be attributed to a robust complaints system that ensures all issues are logged and addressed. Looking ahead, the service will focus on enhancing complaints handling, streamlining repairs processes, and continuing efforts to improve anti-social behaviour responses (we have recently introduced a new reporting app to improve engagement and outcomes in this area).
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PUBLIC These priorities aim to build on the year’s successes and address areas where performance has dipped. ___________________________________________________________________ Implications of the Report 1. Financial – None. 2. HR & Organisational Development – None. 3. Community/Council Planning Building strong, safe, and resilient communities – Improving and maintaining neighbourhoods and homes. Working together to improve outcomes – Increasing resident satisfaction with neighbourhoods and communities. 4. Legal – None. 5. Property/Assets – None. 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 because it is for noting only. 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 – None. 10. Risks – None. 11. Privacy Impact – None. 12. COSLA Policy Position – N/A. 13. Climate Risk – None. 14. Childrens Rights – None. _________________________________________________________
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PUBLIC Background Papers • Report to the Communities and Housing Policy Board on 19 August 2025, ‘Scottish Social Housing Charter: Annual Return 2024/25’. 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. Author: Ray Walkinshaw, Housing Regeneration and Development Manager E Mail: ray.walkinshaw@renfrewshire.gov.uk ___________________________________________________________________
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1 PUBLIC Scottish Social Housing Charter 2025 – 2026 Six Month Update
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Scottish Social Housing Charter 2024/25 Six Month Update 2 PUBLIC OUTTURN REPORT (April-September 2025-2026) No. Indicator 23/24 24/25 Six Month position 24/25 25/26 Six Month position Notes Complaints 3/4 The percentage of all complaints responded to in full at Stage 1 93.1% 84.6% 90% 89.2% Out of 619 Stage 1 complaints received, 552 were responded to in full, in an average of 13.3 days The average time in working days for a full response at Stage 1 7.6 days 10.9 days 14.4 days 13.3 days The percentage of all complaints responded to in full at Stage 2. 71.7% 70.7% 88% 89.4% Out of 94 Stage 2 complaints received, 84 were responded to in full, in an average of 18.4 days. The average time in working days for a full response at Stage 2. 18.9 days 30.2 days 28.9 days 18.4 days Repairs, maintenance, improvements and Tenant Safety 8 Average length of time taken to complete emergency repairs. (hours) 5.6 4.65 5.2 4.9 This indicator has improved since year end. 5 month position 9 Average length of time taken to complete non- emergency repairs. (days) 7.9 6.25 6.9 6.1 This indicator has improved since year end. 5 month position 11 How many times in the reporting year did you not meet your statutory obligations to complete a gas safety check within 12 months of a gas appliance being fitted or its last check? 11 1 5 5 Renfrewshire Council has at all times followed the Scottish Government guidance and the more detailed guidance from Gas Safe and HSE. All the cases have been completed. 5 month position 12 Percentage of tenants who have had repairs or maintenance carried out in last 12 months satisfied with the repairs and maintenance service. 76.7% 76.63% 77.2% 79.7% This indicator has improved since year end. 5 month position 29 The number of times in the reporting year did you not meet the requirement to complete an electrical installation condition N/A N/A N/A 45 This is ongoing and the compliance team are working with the housing officers to gain access to address the outstanding installations.
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Scottish Social Housing Charter 2024/25 Six Month Update 3 PUBLIC No. Indicator 23/24 24/25 Six Month position 24/25 25/26 Six Month position Notes report (EICR) within five years of the last EICR 30 Number of homes that do not have ‘satisfactory equipment for detecting fire and giving warning in the event of fire or suspected fire’ installed at the year end N/A N/A N/A 45 Work to install this equipment is being undertaken at the same time as the EICR works. 31 Average length of time taken to resolve cases of damp and/or mould (working days) by Structural issues N/A N/A N/A 34.1 5 month position Condensation issues N/A N/A N/A 32 5 month position Other issues N/A N/A N/A 32 5 month position Total Resolved Cases N/A N/A N/A 75 5 month position Estate management, anti-social behaviour, neighbour nuisance and tenancy disputes 14 Percentage of anti-social behaviour cases which were resolved. 98.0% 94.9% 96.8% 97.5% 197 cases of ASB were resolved from a total of 202 Tenancy sustainment and tenancy turnover 15 Percentage of new tenancies sustained for more than a year, by source of let. Existing tenants 94.1% 95.0% 95.6% 95.7% Overall, 1039 properties let with 946 having sustained for more than a year. These figures relate to tenancies which commenced between October 2023 and September 2024. Sustainment across all tenant types has increased over this period by 0.7 percentage points. Homeless applicants 86.5% 87.4% 85.4% 86.1% Housing List applicants 91.8% 92.5% 91.6% 93.8% Other 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% OVERALL 90.5% 91.4% 90.3% 91.0% 16 Percentage of lettable houses that became vacant in the last year. 7.8% 3.99% 7% 3.46% This is a slight improvement on the same point last year. 17 Percentage of rent due lost through properties being empty during the last year. 1.45% 1.53% 1.3% 0.92% Improvement in this indicator reflects improvement in voids performance. 20 Percentage of the court actions initiated which resulted in eviction and the reasons for eviction. Non-payment of rent 34.0% 21.4% 21.3% 30.43% The increase in court booking can be attributed to removing the arrears threshold before a case goes to court. Anti-social behaviour 1.4% 0 2.2% 0% Other 0.0% 0 0 0 All 35.5% 21.4% 23.5% 30.43%
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Scottish Social Housing Charter 2024/25 Six Month Update 4 PUBLIC No. Indicator 23/24 24/25 Six Month position 24/25 25/26 Six Month position Notes Rents and service charges 22 Rent collected as percentage of total rent due in the reporting year. 100.4% 98.4% 100.7% 98.9% Performance in this remains similar to this point last year. 23 Gross rent arrears (all tenants) as at 31 March each year as a percentage of rent due for the reporting year. 8.3% 8.89% 7.1% 7.34% Gross Arrears are £4,306,175 as a percentage of rent due of £58,694,728 26 Average length of time taken to re-let properties in the last year. (days) 50.4 38.5 37.3 30.1 There were a total of 387 re- lets between April and the end of September.
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5 PUBLIC Environment Housing and Infrastructure Renfrewshire Council Renfrewshire House Cotton Street Paisley PA1 1BR