You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Glasgow-based housing association to consult tenants over transfer to Sanctuary
Thistle Housing Association is planning to consult residents this autumn about the prospect of transferring its stock to Sanctuary Scotland.
The Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) has published an updated engagement plan for troubled landlord Thistle, which announced in February its intention to partner with Sanctuary Scotland after a bidding process.
It comes two years after the SHR first appointed a manager and five members to Thistle’s governing body following an independent review that found the landlord had failed to meet regulatory standards of governance and financial management.
The regulator currently has a statutory manager and eight governing body members appointed to Thistle’s board.
READ MORE
In addition to the problems identified by the SHR, the Health and Safety Executive found issues with Thistle’s management of asbestos, missing fire risk assessments and a failure to manage a major investment proposal.
If the proposed merger goes ahead, Thistle’s 947 social rented homes and 786 homes in the hands of factored owners will transfer to Sanctuary Scotland.
Sanctuary Scotland manages more than 7,000 homes and is part of the wider Sanctuary Group.
Ian Brennan, director of regulation at the SHR, said: “Since our intervention, independent investigations have identified further serious failures relating to the management of a major investment contract and failure to comply with health and safety requirements for tenants, residents and employees.
“These failures have resulted in a number of complex problems which are proving both expensive and time consuming to resolve.
“Thistle recognises the frustrations that tenants and residents have suffered and has been working, with the support of Sanctuary Scotland, to develop a plan to address all of the underlying issues.
“It has told us that there are likely to be significant additional costs, the full extent of which remain uncertain, which had not previously been provided for in its business plan. It has also assured us that delivering the best possible future for its tenants and residents is at the heart of its transfer plans with Sanctuary Scotland.”
