The Scottish Housing Regulator’s Tenants Together (Scotland) Liaison Group convened in person on August 18, 2026, addressing tenant advocacy and pressing issues in the social housing sector. The session was chaired by Helen Trouten Torres, a board member of the regulator and chair of the liaison group, alongside Garry Coutts, SHR board chair, and Helen Shaw, director of regulation.
Their opening remarks centered on public sector reforms, financial stability for housing providers, and tenant safety—areas expected to define the regulator’s focus over the next year. The group also examined how tenant representation could be institutionalized on the SHR board, with members noting that lived experience directly informs governance decisions, particularly in areas like service delivery and complaint handling.
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Participants stressed the importance of including tenant perspectives on the SHR board, arguing that direct experience enhances oversight. The group also analyzed preparations for Awaab’s Law, which mandates action on damp, mold, and electrical hazards in homes. Clearer messaging about tenant rights and protections dominated the conversation, with repeated calls for greater tenant involvement in housing-related decisions, including joint working between landlords and tenants on service delivery. Members highlighted the need for standardized communication tools to ensure tenants understand their rights under the new legislation.
Net zero targets in social housing dominated another segment, where members assessed the financial and logistical barriers for both landlords and tenants. Retrofitting initiatives and emerging technologies were identified as essential but expensive steps forward, with discussions focusing on how energy efficiency upgrades could be phased without disproportionately increasing rents. The regulator then shared key findings from its latest National Panel of Tenants and Service Users Report, highlighting ongoing struggles with rent costs, energy expenses, and landlord performance. These observations were framed as key for guiding future regulatory and service enhancements, particularly in addressing disparities in repair response times across different housing providers.
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Tenants Together Scotland shared updates on its activities, including a recent annual general meeting, rising membership numbers, and ongoing surveys about rent consultations and re-let standards. The group also reviewed SHR board actions and landlord inspections, emphasizing the need for deeper tenant participation in governance structures. Successful examples of tenant engagement were discussed, particularly those involving tenants in oversight or decision-making capacities.
The session concluded with details on SHR’s Tenant Advisor tool, which provides guidance on rights and complaints, and preparations for the next National Panel initiative, which will expand to include more diverse tenant voices, including those from rural and remote communities. Plans for the group’s subsequent meeting, scheduled online on November 10, 2026, were also outlined. While tenant representation was reaffirmed as a key goal, the conversation revealed tensions between regulatory demands and the financial limits of housing providers, particularly smaller landlords with limited resources for compliance.
