Monthly Coronavirus COVID-19 Information Return
15 April 2020
Dear colleague
We recognise that landlords are facing unprecedented challenges in delivering services during the pandemic, and we know you are working to safeguard and protect the interests of your tenants and residents.
We are working with the Scottish Government and the newly formed Social Housing Resilience Group (SHRG) to understand the impact of the pandemic and where support is needed by social landlords.
In order to get a clear picture of the impact on social landlords, tenants and other service users we have agreed with the Scottish Government and the SHRG that we will provide regular reports on the impact of the Coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic on social landlords. This will help them understand the scale and nature of disruption and to plan co-ordinated responses.
To that end, we are asking all social landlords to provide us with a short monthly information return. We will write to you again shortly to give you further information on how to submit the return to us. We are asking that you provide the first return to us by Thursday 7 May.
In recognition of the challenges that you face, we are keen to minimise the work that is involved in providing information to us during the pandemic. We have carefully considered the information that we need and that we have kept this to a minimum .
The information we will be asking all landlords to provide for each month, starting from the end of April is set out in the annex to this letter.
There will be a separate return for RSLs and Local Authorities, and non-stock owning local authorities should complete the information on homelessness only. RSLs which are part of a wider group of RSLs should submit one return for the Group through the parent RSL.
You do not need to have your monthly return approved by your governing body. Normally we would expect the information you provide to be approved by the Senior Officer of the RSL or the Chief Housing Officer for a local authority. If that isn’t possible then you should contact your lead Regulator to discuss this.
We would also ask that you try wherever possible to give as accurate information as you can, although we recognise you may have some challenges with this in the current circumstances. Please let us know if you cannot provide any of the information or if you have concerns about its accuracy
We will ask for monthly returns until the impact of the pandemic reduces. For RSLs, please continue to alert us to any Notifiable Events in relation to the pandemic in addition to this information request.
We will provide the Scottish Government and the SHRG with aggregate information from the returns and we do not intend to share individual landlord data.
We all face unprecedented challenges in working during the pandemic and we are keen to work as closely as possible with you in addressing the many risks and issues. So if you have any questions at all relating to this information request please do not hesitate to contact your Lead Officer within SHR.
Thank you and stay safe.
Ian Brennan
Director of Regulation
Annex
ANNEX
RSL Only:
Staff absence levels on the last day of the month;
- Total number of staff (full time equivalent);
- Total number of staff absent (FTE) ie the number of staff (FTE) not available to work, because of ill-health, care responsibilities, compassionate leave, other reasons;
- Number of staff placed on furlough - in accordance with the UK Government's furlough scheme.
Cash balance as at the last day of the month.
RSLs and Local Authorities with stock:
Arrears - Gross rent arrears (all tenants) as at last day of the month as a percentage of rent due for the reporting year. (Definitions and calculations as per ARC Technical Guidance)
Empty homes:
- The number of empty dwellings that arose during the last month in self-contained lettable stock. (Definitions and calculations as per ARC Technical Guidance)
- The total number of empty dwellings in self-contained lettable stock on the last day of the reporting month.
Total lets
Number of lets during the reporting month
- Lets to homeless (SST)
- Lets to homeless (short SST)
- Lets to homeless (leased to relevant LA)
All Local Authorities
- The number of homeless applications received in the month;
- The number offered and accepted temporary accommodation in the month;
- The number offered and refused temporary accommodation;
- The number not offered temporary accommodation when needed in the month.