Local Authority Housing Income and Expenditure: 1997-1998 to 2017-2018 (near actuals) and 2018-2019 (estimates)

Tenant Consultation by Councils about HRAs

42. In the 2017-18 HRA survey councils were asked about the extent and nature of any consultation they had undertaken with tenants in the previous year, for example, in terms of how the HRA budget had been spent or plans for future HRA expenditure. This follows the publication of ‘Guidance on the Operation of the Local Authority Housing Revenue Accounts in Scotland’ (2014) https://indd.adobe.com/view/b5bb0a29-9cd7-4b3d-a596-f21c5dcfc19f https://indd.adobe.com/view/358417f4-e346-4442-b5df-9d801bf4589f which sets out a framework for the involvement of landlords and tenants regarding HRAs.

43. Twenty of the twenty-six councils reported that they had undertaken tenant consultation about the HRA in 2017-18, one reported plans to consult next year, two reported no consultation undertaken, and three didn’t provide a response to this question. The most frequently reported consultation topic was about rent rise proposals and HRA spending plans. Other topics included:

> sale of council land parcels

> council housing stock improvements

> what rental income goes on to pay for

> service delivery plans

> new housing building programs.

44. Council reported a variety of methods used to consult tenants about the HRA, the most frequent of which were tenant meetings or tenant questionnaires or surveys which sought feedback. Other consultation methods included:

> tenant panels

> annual tenant statements seeking feedback

> local tenant events

> tenant conferences

> use of social media seeking feedback

> tenant newsletters seeking feedback. 

45. Councils were also asked if they had done an audit of compliance with the ‘Guidance on the Operation of Local Authority HRAs in Scotland’ http://www.gov.scot/Publications/2014/03/1837. In 2017-18 eleven councils reported that they had, seven said no, four gave no response and four said they planned to undertake an audit.

46. Twelve councils reported they had used the HRA self-assessment framework, seven said no, five had plans to use it, two gave no response.