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Scottish regulator finds ‘serious and historic failures’ within association
The Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) has found further “serious” failings at a Glasgow-based housing association it deemed non-compliant last year.
In a recently published engagement plan for Thistle Housing Association (THA), which was deemed non-compliant last summer, the regulator found a number of additional issues, including with the quality of its asbestos management and missing fire risk assessments.
The SHR’s report revealed that the Health and Safety Executive served a statutory improvement notice to THA in relation to its management of asbestos in August.
According to the SHR’s plan, the governing body extended the scope of its review into THA to include its management of asbestos after it was found in June that the association had provided inaccurate information on the topic to the regulator and its tenants.
THA, which owns 950 homes in the Glasgow area, was first hit with regulatory action in August last year, after an independent review identified failures to meet regulatory standards of governance and financial management.
This saw the regulator use statutory powers to appoint a new manager and five new members to THA’s governing body.
In December last year, THA appealed the action but the regulator’s appeal panel upheld the decision.
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Since then the landlord commissioned expert independent reviews, which found “substantial systemic weaknesses” in its approach to fulfilling its compliance for asbestos, electrical, fire, gas, lift and water safety.
The regulator also said that THA had not carried out employer health and safety audits for six years, while an independent audit found that the required fire and legionella risk assessments were unavailable.
The regulator has also been engaging with THA over its failure to manage a major investment contract, after tiles fell from the roofs of two different properties and an independent survey subsequently identified the incorrect fitting of roof tiles in 34 of the 35 instances examined.
THA had previously provided incorrect information, both to itself and tenants, that there would be no additional costs as a result of remedial work required to the roofs, meaning these additional costs are not included in THA’s business plan, the regulator said.
A spokesperson for THA said the organisation “continues to work closely with SHR to address all of the areas highlighted within the updated engagement plan”.
In August the SHR appointed an additional four members and a new interim director to THA’s governing body.
According to the regulator, five governing body members have resigned since the statutory intervention began in August last year.
Ian Brennan, director of regulation at the SHR, said: “Tenant and resident safety is a key priority for us.
“THA must comply with the improvement notice. With support from the statutory manager and appointees, it will develop plans to address the weaknesses and failures and we will closely monitor its progress.
“We also require Thistle to provide appropriate information to its tenants and residents about the steps it is taking.”
