Scottish House Condition Survey: 2022 Key Findings

5 Housing Conditions

Key Points

• Disrepair to critical elements, which are central to weather-tightness, structural stability and preventing deterioration of the property, stood at 49% in 2022. Less than half of these (18% of all dwellings) required urgent disrepair to critical elements and just 3% had extensive disrepair (covering at least a fifth of the element area) to critical elements.
• Overall, this is an improvement of 3 percentage points in 2019, when 52% of dwellings had disrepair to critical elements. The 2022 rate has returned to a level similar to 2016 (48%).
• 17% of dwellings had disrepair to non-critical elements only, with 3% of dwellings requiring some urgent repair to non-critical elements, and 1% having extensive disrepair to non-critical elements, similar to 2019
• Levels of mold, damp and condensation were similar to those seen in 2019: 90% of properties were free from any damp or condensation and 91% were free from mold.
• Scottish House Condition Survey results for 2022 have been assessed to be comparable in the most part to 2019 and earlier years. However, as noted in section 1.1.5 of the Methodological and Technical notes there is evidence to suggest that social and private rented households, may be under-represented in the 2022 achieved sample and owner-occupied households may be over-represented. Due to this, national level estimates of some elements of disrepair may be slightly under-estimated as disrepair to critical elements is more prevalent in the private rented sector, which is underrepresented in the sample. Conversely, when including the two new criteria failure rates for the tolerable standard are higher in the owner occupied sector, and as a result national level figures for this may be slightly overestimated. However, the main drivers of disrepair tend to be property age and type not tenure, and as set out in section 1.1.4 of the Methodological and Technical notes these characteristics are included in the SHCS calibration weighting process. Additionally, given the diversity of disrepair data and the broad similarities to 2019 figures in key categories such as the tolerable standard and the overall SHQS failure rate (before revisions) we expect any differences to be minor.

 

5.1 Disrepair

The Scottish House Condition Survey (SHCS) measures disrepair for a wide range of different building elements ranging from aspects of roofs and walls, to chimney stacks, internal rooms, and common parts of shared buildings like access balconies, and entry doors.

This is reported in two categories:

• Critical elements. This refers to disrepair to building elements central to weather-tightness, structural stability and preventing deterioration of the property, such as roof coverings or the structure of external walls. These elements are listed in section 2.7.1 of the Methodological and Technical notes.
• Non-critical elements. This relates to any damage to a non-critical element (such as skirtings and internal wall finishes, staircases, boundary fences or attached garages) which requires some repair beyond routine maintenance.

Elements in both of the above categories can be assessed according to the severity of disrepair, as follows:

• Urgent disrepair. This relates only to external and common elements (a mixture of critical and non-critical). Urgent disrepair to these elements is recorded where immediate repair is required to prevent further deterioration to the building fabric or health and safety risks to occupants. Not all disrepair to critical elements is necessarily considered urgent by the surveyor. Internal room floor structures and floor finishes as well as internal walls and the presence of dry / wet rot are the only critical elements for which urgency is not applicable.
• Extensive disrepair. Damage which covers at least a fifth (20%) or more of the building element area. This can apply to any element whether critical or otherwise.

Disrepair, which is not to a critical element, is not urgent or extensive, is referred to as basic. This is the minimum category of disrepair in the survey. 

More detailed description of the categories of disrepair is given in section 2.7 of the Methodological and Technical notes.

It is fairly common for dwellings to display elements of disrepair in more than one category. The SHCS surveyor manual provides guidance for our surveyors on assessing the type and severity of disrepair for each element, for example:

• A leaking tap in the bathroom (disrepair to a non-critical element).
• A large section (covering over 20% of the area) of the render on an external wall has broken off but is not considered an urgent repair by the surveyor (extensive disrepair to a critical element).
• A small area of guttering is damaged, causing rain water to pour down an external wall surface. This is marked as urgent by the surveyor as it is likely to lead to further damage and compromise the weather-proofing of the building in the short term (urgent disrepair to a critical element).

This is illustrated in Infographic 5.1

Infographic 5.1: Percentage of dwellings to display elements of disrepair in more than one category, 2022. 

Infographic 5.1 shows that 49% of dwellings had some disrepair to critical elements, 24% had no instances of urgent or extensive disrepair; 19% had some urgent disrepair (which could be to critical or non-critical elements) but no extensive disrepair; 3% had some urgent and some extensive disrepair (to any element); and 2% had had some extensive disrepair (to any element) but no urgent disrepair.

Notes: [note 12] [note 13] [note 20]

Infographic 5.2: Number of dwellings to display elements of disrepair in more than one category, 2022. 

Infographic 5.2 is an upset plot which shows the overlap of different types of disrepair in Scottish dwellings. The vertical axis shows the number of dwellings with different combinations of disrepair, for example 328,000 dwellings (13%) had basic disrepair only. While 495,000 (19%) had urgent disrepair, and disrepair to critical elements (although not necessarily disrepair to critical elements). It also shows that 877,000 dwellings (34%) had no disrepair. The horizontal axis shows the total number of dwellings with each type of disrepair including overlaps between groups.

Notes: [note 12] [note 13] [note 20]

5.1.1 Rates of Disrepair

Levels of disrepair to critical elements decreased from 52% in 2019 to 49% in 2022.

Figure 5.1: Percentage of dwellings with disrepair to critical elements, 2012-2022

Figure 5.1 provides details of rates of disrepair over time for dwellings with disrepair to critical elements. In 2022, disrepair to critical elements stood at 49% of all dwellings. Less than half, 18% of all dwellings, had instances of urgent disrepair to these critical elements and only 3% of dwellings had extensive disrepair to one or more critical elements. These dwellings may also have other instances of disrepair (including urgent and extensive) to non-critical elements.

Overall, this is an improvement of 3 percentage points in 2019, when 52% of dwellings had disrepair to critical elements and a 12 percentage point improvement on the 61% in 2012. The 2022 rate has returned to a level similar to 2016 (48%).

Data Source: Table HC2a in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 12] [note 13] [note 14] [note 20]

In 2022, 17% of dwellings had disrepair only to non-critical elements.

Figure 5.2: Percentage of dwellings with only disrepair to non-critical elements, 2012-2022

Figure 5.2 shows the rates of disrepair over time for dwellings with only disrepair to non-critical elements. In 2022, 17% of dwellings had disrepair only to non-critical elements, with 3% of dwellings requiring some urgent repair and 1% with extensive disrepair to non-critical elements, similar to 2019.

Data Source: Table HC2a in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 12] [note 13] [note 20]

In 2022, 25% of properties had some instances of urgent disrepair, similar to 2019 (27%).

Figure 5.3: Percentage of dwellings with any disrepair 2012-2022

Urgent and extensive disrepair can apply to both critical and non-critical elements. Figure 5.3 shows the rates of this type of disrepair regardless of element type. In 2022, 25% of properties had some instances of urgent disrepair, similar to 2019 and down from 39% in 2012.  In 2022, 6% of the housing stock had some extensive disrepair present, similar to 2019, but an improvement from 9% in 2012. 

Data Source: Table HC3a in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 12] [note 13] [note 20] 

5.1.2 Disrepair to Critical Elements

This section examines in more detail disrepair to critical elements (affecting 49% of dwellings in 2022) and its prevalence across tenure, dwelling age band and location.

As shown above in Infographic 5.1, in some of those dwellings with disrepair to critical elements there was also some urgent disrepair to critical elements (not necessarily to the same elements), accounting  19% of the housing stock (similar to 2019).

In 2022, 3% of the housing stock, in addition to the presence of disrepair to critical elements, and urgent disrepair, some disrepair to the property was also assessed as extensive, similar to the rate in 2019.

5.1.2.1 Dwelling age and location

The prevalence of disrepair to critical elements is associated with age of construction.

Figure 5.4: Disrepair to critical elements by dwelling age, 2019 and 2022.

The prevalence of disrepair to critical elements is associated with age of construction, with newer dwellings significantly less likely to fall within this category. Figure 5.4 shows that dwellings built in the period pre-1919 have a rate of disrepair to critical elements of 71%, of which 27% had any urgent disrepair to critical elements. Comparatively the rates of disrepair for dwellings built in the period 1965-1982 was 42% (16% urgent disrepair to critical elements), while dwellings built after 1982 have a rate at 28% (8% urgent disrepair to critical elements). This is also evident where instances of disrepair to critical elements co-exist with urgent disrepair to critical elements, a pattern which has remained unchanged since 2019.

Data Source: Table HC4 in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 12] [note 13] [note 14]

In 2022, rates of disrepair to critical elements were similar between urban and rural areas for all categories shown.

Figure 5.5: Disrepair to critical elements by dwelling location, 2019 and 2022.

 

In 2022, rates of disrepair were similar between urban and rural areas for all categories shown. This reflects an improvement for urban areas in rates of disrepair to critical elements (4 percentage point reduction) and a decrease of 2 percentage points in rates of urgent disrepair to critical elements and urgent disrepair to any element between 2019 and 2022. The rate of disrepair to critical elements for rural areas was 50%, similar to 2019.

The above figures consider the presence of critical, urgent, and extensive disrepair within a dwelling. However, these do not necessarily apply to the same elements in every case.

Data Source: Table HC4 in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 1] [note 12] [note 13] [note 14]

Table HC4 in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’ also provides some further breakdowns for those dwellings which have urgent disrepair or extensive disrepair to one or more critical elements. Urgent disrepair to critical elements follows a similar pattern by age and location as described above. However, rates of extensive disrepair to critical elements are very small and are therefore similar across all age and location categories.

5.1.2.2 Tenure

In 2022, levels of disrepair to critical elements differ by housing tenure.

Figure 5.6: Disrepair to critical elements by tenure, 2019 and 2022.

As shown in Figure 5.6 housing association dwellings tend to have amongst the lowest levels (around 41%) of any disrepair to critical elements, similar to 2019. Conversely, Private rented sector properties have the highest levels of disrepair to critical elements, 66% of dwellings in 2022, similar to 2019. In 2022 there was an improvement in the rate of disrepair to critical elements for local authority properties from 66% in 2019 to 54% in 2022. The rate of disrepair to critical elements for owner-occupied properties was 46% in 2022, similar to 2019.

Data Source: Table HC5 in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 12] [note 13] [note 14]

5.1.2.3 Type of Disrepair to Critical Elements

As shown in Infographic 5.3 although some disrepair to critical elements is fairly common it tends to be at a relatively low level in each property, affecting on average (median) 2.5% of the relevant area. A full list of elements in this category is provided in section 2.7.1 of the Methodological and Technical notes along with details of how the extent of disrepair is recorded in the survey for each and how an average extent is calculated.

Wall finish, gutters / downpipes, roof coverings and chimney stacks are often affected. Around 24% of dwellings had some disrepair to wall finish, 14% had some disrepair to gutters / downpipes, 16% had some disrepair to roof coverings- and 22% to chimney stacks; however, in all four cases the average (median) disrepair covered around 2.5% of the area. Where stone pointing, render or harling on walls is damaged, moisture can seep into the structure of the walls and cause further damage. Similarly slipped roof tiles or slates can allow water to access the roof structure or the tops of internal walls. Unchecked disrepair to chimney stacks can lead to water ingress and eventually falling masonry.

Infographic 5.3: The number of dwellings affected and average (median) extent of disrepair to external critical elements

Data Source: Table HC6 in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 11] [note 14] [note 15]

5.1.3 Damp, Mould and Condensation

The definitions of mould, damp and condensation are provided in section 2.8 of the Methodological and Technical note.

Any condensation, rising or penetrating damp and mould recorded in the SHCS can cover anything from a small damp patch or area of condensation on a single wall in one room (caused for example by ineffective ventilation whilst cooking) to prevalence throughout a dwelling, so does not indicate a serious housing quality issue in all cases.

Scottish House Condition Survey assessors have previously measured the presence of mould in a dwelling, often to aid with their assessment of damp. For the first time the SHCS 2022 also provides an analysis on presence of mould within dwellings as a discreet measurement, in addition to damp, and condensation.

The incidence of these defects in isolation and together is given in Figure 5.7.

In 2022, around 91% of all dwellings in Scotland were free from mould.

Figure 5.7: Presence of damp, mould and condensation, 2012 to 2022.

Around 90% of all dwellings in 2022 were free from any form of condensation or damp. This rate has been stable in recent years but represents an overall improvement from 86% in 2012. Similarly, 91% of all dwellings were free from mould in 2022. This rate has been stable in recent years but represents an overall improvement from 88% in 2012.

In 2022, 3% of the housing stock (around 73,000 dwellings) suffered from some degree of penetrating damp. The presence of penetrating damp has fluctuated between 2.0% and 3.7% across the past 8 years of the survey. There were a very small number of properties with rising damp in the survey sample in 2022, suggesting that their share in the housing stock is less than 0.5%.

Condensation was observed in 8% of the surveyed stock (equivalent to around 205,000 dwellings) which is similar to recent years, although represents a reduction from 11% in 2012.

Data Source: Table HC7a in  ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

 

5.2 Housing Quality Standards

Key Points

• In 2022, two new below tolerable standard criteria were introduced (assessing the presence, type, and condition of smoke, heat, and carbon monoxide alarms) leading to a sharp increase to the proportion of below tolerable standard dwellings from 2% in 2019 to 29% in 2022.
• The Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) failure rate in the social sector was 41%. Failures of the Energy Efficient criterion were the biggest driver of failures overall. In 2022, 29% of social sector properties did not meet the Energy Efficient criterion.
• The failure rate in the private sector was 60% and is driven by failures of the Below Tolerable Standard criterion (35%) and the Energy Efficient criterion (32%).
• SHCS surveyors may not always be able to identify the presence of cavity wall insulation. The Energy Efficient criterion failure rate in the social sector would be 10% if it is assumed that all social dwellings have insulated cavity walls where this is technically feasible. This in turn would lower the overall SHQS failure rate in the social sector to 28%.
• The majority of dwellings falling below the SHQS failed on a single criterion; this accounted for more than 7 out of 10 failures in the social sector. For 77% of social homes failing the SHQS this was due to falling short on just one of the 55 elements which make up the standard. In 2022, these were cavity wall insulation (50%), pipe insulation (8%), full and efficient central heating (7%), fire alarms (6%), carbon monoxide alarms (6%) and secure door entry system (3%).

5.2.1 Housing Standards

Two quality standards are set by the Scottish Government and monitored through the Scottish House Condition Survey. These are:

• The Tolerable Standard. A "condemnatory" standard which means that it is not reasonable to expect people to continue to live in a house that falls below it. The Tolerable Standard was amended by the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 (Tolerable Standard) (Extension of Criteria) Order 2019 and now includes a new element covering smoke, heat, and carbon monoxide alarms. For the first time, in SHCS 2022 assessors considered the presence, type and condition of smoke, heat, and carbon monoxide alarms in a house when deciding if the house meets the Tolerable Standard. For more information on the Tolerable Standard see section 2.10 of the Methodological and Technical notes.

• The Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS). This was introduced in February 2004 and means social landlords must make sure their tenants' homes are in a good state of repair, energy efficient, healthy, safe and secure. A target was agreed that all social landlords must ensure that all their dwellings pass the SHQS by April 2015. Private owners and private landlords are currently under no obligation to bring their properties up to this standard. However, SHCS collects the same data for all dwellings to allow comparison across the housing stock. Since 2012 this target has been incorporated in the Scottish Social Housing Charter and the performance of landlords has been monitored by the independent Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR). For more information on the SHQS see section 2.11 of the Methodological and Technical notes.

5.2.2 Tolerable Standard

In 2022, 29% of all dwellings (around 742,000) fell below the tolerable standard.

Figure 5.8: Dwellings below tolerable standard (BTS), 2012 to 2022

Figure 5.8 shows that 29% of all dwellings in Scotland fell below the tolerable standard in 2022 when including the two new below tolerable standard criteria that were introduced (assessing the presence, type and condition of smoke, heat, and carbon monoxide alarms). This is a sharp increase in the proportion of below tolerable standard dwellings from 2% in 2019 to 29% in 2022.

Excluding the two new criteria in the timeseries, the overall trend of below tolerable standard dwellings remained stable at around 2% since 2018. However, there is a longer term trend of improvement and 2022 levels represent a drop of around 1 percentage points since 2012.

Data Source: Table HC8 in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 17] [note 20] 

The introduction of the two new below tolerable standard criteria in 2022, led to a sharp increase to the proportion of below tolerable standard dwellings across all tenures and dwelling age bands.

In 2022, 35% of private sector and 10% of social sector dwellings fell below tolerable standard.

Figure 5.9: Dwellings below tolerable standard (BTS) by tenure, 2022

As shown in Figure 5.9 the share of dwellings below tolerable standard in the private sectors was 35%, higher than the social sector at 10%. The proportion of owned outright and mortgaged dwellings failing the tolerable standard was 37% and 40% respectively. Conversely, the rate for the private rented sector in 2022 was 19%. This is likely due to smoke, heat and carbon monoxide detectors already being required for private rented properties under the Repairing Standard.

The proportion of dwellings below tolerable standard was 36% for pre-1919 dwellings and 37% for dwellings built between 1919 and 1944. Around a quarter (24%) of recently built dwellings (post 1965) were below tolerable standard in 2022.

Data Source: Table HC9a in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 17]

Figure 5.10 shows the proportion of below tolerable standard dwellings by tenure in 2022 and 2019, based only on the 12 pre-existing below tolerable standard criteria.

Considering only the 12 pre-existing criteria, in 2022 the share of dwellings below tolerable standard in both the private and social sector was 2%, both similar to 2019.

Figure 5.10: Dwellings below tolerable standard (BTS) excluding the two new below tolerable standard criteria by tenure, 2019 and 2022

As shown in Figure 5.10, in 2022 the proportion of below tolerable standard dwellings across tenure (when excluding the two new below tolerable standard criteria) is similar to 2019.  The share of dwellings below tolerable standard in both the private and social rental sectors was 2%, both similar to 2019. The proportion of owned outright dwellings failing the tolerable standard was 2% in 2022, similar to 2019.

The proportion of pre-1919 dwellings below tolerable standard was 5% in 2022, similar to 2019. Very few recently built dwellings (post 1965) were below tolerable standard compared to pre-1919 dwellings, at less than 1% in 2022.

Data Source: Table HC9a in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 17]

Interestingly, the introduction of smoke, fire, and carbon monoxide alarms to the tolerable standard has introduced a divergence in compliance by tenure. In previous waves (and the current wave with these standards removed) compliance is similar between the private and social sector. However, when including these criteria, the social sector shows a much higher rate of compliance (90%) than the private sector (65%).

The tolerable standard now consists of 14 criteria (listed in section 2.10 of the Methodological and Technical notes), failure on one of which leads to a failure overall. This is reported on for the first time in the 2022 SHCS.

Dwellings which failed the tolerable standard in 2022 most commonly did so because they failed the two new criteria:

Figure 5.11: Below tolerable standard (BTS) dwellings by individual tolerable standard criteria failures, 2022

Figure 5.11 shows that of the 742,000 dwellings which failed the tolerable standard in 2022 they most commonly did so because they failed the two new criteria;

• 86% of below tolerable standard dwellings (around 638,000 dwellings) did not have satisfactory equipment for detecting and warning in the event of fire.
• 51% of below tolerable standard dwellings (around 373,000 dwellings) did not have satisfactory equipment for warning against high levels of carbon monoxide.

Other reasons causing dwellings to fail the tolerable standard in 2022 is that they were:

• not free from rising/penetrating damp (19,000 or 3% of BTS dwellings)

• not satisfactorily insulated (12,000 or 2% of BTS dwellings)

Data Source: Table HC10 in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 11] [note 17] 

5.2.3 Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS)

The SHQS is made up of 55 different elements grouped into 5 higher-level criteria:

• Tolerable Standard (A),
• Serious Disrepair (B),
• Energy Efficiency (C),
• Modern Facilities and Services (D)
• and Healthy, Safe and Secure (E).

In the SHCS 54 of the 55 individual elements are assessed by surveyors trained to collect detailed information on housing characteristics. Only one element is not assessed using SHCS data: no information is collected on external noise insulation[1]. The data collected is subsequently aggregated by Scottish Government analysts into higher level measures for each of the 5 criteria and the standard overall.

In 2022, 55% of dwellings failed to meet the SHQS.

Figure 5.12: Dwellings failing SHQS, 2010 to 2022

Figure 5.12 shows the overall results for the Scottish housing stock, covering the period 2010 to 2022. In 2022, two new below tolerable standard criteria were introduced leading to a sharp increase to the proportion of dwellings failing to meet the SHQS from 43% in 2019 to 55% in 2022.

Excluding the two new criteria from the timeseries, reduces the failure rate of dwellings meeting the SHQS to 40%. Similar to the rate of 43% in 2019.

Data Source: Table HC11a in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 17] [note 18] [note 20] 

In 2022, the highest failure rate was with respect to the Energy Efficient criterion (31%) following by the BTS criterion (29%).

Figure 5.13: Dwellings failing SHQS individual criteria, 2010 to 2022

As in previous years, the highest failure rate was with respect to the Energy Efficient criterion (31%). In 2022 the proportion of dwellings which did not meet the BTS criterion increased from 2% to 29%, due to the introduction of two new BTS criteria. The failure rate for the Healthy, Safe and Secure criterion was 10%, with a failure rate of 6% for Modern Facilities. There were a small number of dwellings which did not meet the Serious Disrepair criterion (1%).

Data Source: Table HC11a in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 17] [note 18] [note 20]    

5.2.3.1 Compliance with SHQS by Tenure, Dwelling Age and Location

The overall SHQS failure rate in 2022 stood at 41% for social sector housing and 60% for the private sector.

Figure 5.14: Dwellings failing SHQS by dwelling characteristic, 2022

Figure 5.14 shows the proportion of properties failing the SHQS by selected characteristics. The lowest failure rates are in the newest dwellings (post-1982, 35% fail) and in Housing Associations stock (30% fail). As previously shown (see Figure 1.15), Housing Association dwellings are often newer than Local Authority stock (which had a higher failure rate of 49%) and are therefore usually built to a higher energy efficiency standard. The newest purpose-build social housing in Scotland is also likely to be designed to comply with SHQS.

The overall SHQS failure rate for social sector housing in 2022 stood at 41%, compared to the private sector at 60%. If it is assumed that all social dwellings have insulated cavity walls where this is technically feasible, the overall SHQS failure rate in the social sector would be 28%. SHCS based measures do not make an allowance for abeyances and exemptions from the SHQS in social rented housing.

Overall, in 2022, the introduction of the two new BTS criteria led to an increase in the SHQS failure rate across all dwelling types, tenures and locations.

Data Source: Table HC12a in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 17]

5.2.3.2 Individual SHQS Criteria

Failure rates for each criterion of the SHQS for private and social sector housing since 2010 are available on Table HC13 in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’.

Between 2010 and 2017, there was a consistent trend of falling rates of SHQS failures, which then remained similar between 2018 and 2019. Although in some cases the survey sample is not large enough to measure accurately year-on-year changes for each criterion. In 2022, the sharp increase in Below Tolerable Standard (BTS) criterion failure is due to the introduction of two new BTS criteria, however outside of the BTS criterion, failure rates remain broadly similar to 2019.

In 2022, the highest failure rate in private sector was with respect to BTS criterion (35%) comparatively in the social sector it was the Energy Efficient criterion (29%).

Figure 5.15: SHQS criteria failure rates by tenure, 2022

The SHCS estimates that 41% of social sector housing failed to meet the SHQS in 2022. This was predominantly due to the Energy Efficient criterion, where 29% of properties failed on this measure. 10% failed the Below Tolerable Standard criterion, 8% failed the Healthy, Safe and Secure criterion and 4% failed the Modern Facilities criterion. A small proportion (1%) failed the Serious Disrepair criterion.

If the SHQS applied to private sector housing, then 60% would have failed to meet it in 2022. This would be primarily due to 35% of the properties failing to meet the Below Tolerable Standard criterion and 32% failing to meet the Energy Efficient criterion. 10% of the properties would also fail the Healthy, Safe and Secure criterion and 6% would fail the Modern Facilities criterion. A small proportion (1%) would fail the Serious Disrepair criterion.

Data Source: Table HC13 in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 17]

5.2.3.3 Number of Criteria and Elements Failing

In the large majority of cases failure to meet the SHQS is due to a dwelling not passing one criterion or even a single element. As the standard incorporates 55 different elements, it is generally sufficient for a dwelling to fail on a single one of these in order to be considered not satisfying the higher level criterion requirement and the SHQS overall[2].

In 2022, the majority of SHQS failures were due to a single criterion.

Figure 5.16: Proportion of dwellings by numbers of SHQS criteria failures and sector, 2022

Figure 5.16 presents the distribution of dwellings by number of criteria failed and sector. The majority of failures in 2022 were due to a single criterion: 38% for the whole stock, 40% for private sector and 32% for social sector dwellings.

Data Source: Table HC14a in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 20]

Since 2010, the majority of failures in both the private and social sector were due to failure on a single SHQS criterion.

Figure 5.17: Proportion of dwellings by numbers of SHQS criteria failures and sector, 2010 to 2022

Figure 5.17 shows presents the distribution of dwellings for private and social sector by number of criteria failed. Since 2010, the majority of failures in both private and social sector were due to a single criterion.

In 2022, 40% of private sector dwellings, and 32% of social sector dwellings failed one SHQS criterion. In 2010, the corresponding figures for the percentage of dwellings failing on just one criterion was 42% for private sector and 40% the social sector. Therefore, over time, there has been a reduction in the reasons why social dwellings do not meet the standard although this has been more stable in recent years.

Data Source: Table HC14a in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 17] [note 18]

In 2022, 51% of dwellings failing the SHQS did so because of a single element.

Figure 5.18: Proportion of dwellings failing the SHQS by numbers of SHQS element failures and sector, 2022

Figure 5.18 presents the distribution of dwellings failing the SHQS by number of elements failed and sector. The majority of failures in 2022 were due to a single element failure: 51% for the whole stock, 47% for private sector and 66% for social sector dwellings.

Data Source: Table HC15 in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 17] [note 18]

In 2022, the element most likely to cause a single SHQS failure in social sector dwellings was cavity wall insulation, and in private sector dwellings was fire alarms.

Figure 5.19: Single- element SHQS failures by sector, 2022

In 2022, the single elements most likely to cause failure (as there are no other reasons to fail the SHQS in these dwellings) across all tenures are cavity wall insulation (33%) and fire alarms (28%). Other elements causing a single SHQS failure are; pipe insulation (7%), full and efficient central heating (7%), carbon monoxide alarms (7%) and at least six kitchen sockets (3%).

In social sector, the elements most likely to cause a single SHQS failure are cavity wall insulation (50% of all single element failures in the social sector) followed by pipe insulation (8%), full and efficient central heating (7%), fire alarms (6%), carbon monoxide alarms (6%) and secure door entry system (3%).

In private sector, the elements most likely to cause a single SHQS failure are fire and carbon monoxide alarms (27% and 15% respectively). Other elements causing a single element SHQS failure are cavity wall insulation (14%) and full and efficient central heating (7%).

More information is available on Table HC16a in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’

Notes: [note 17] [note 18]

5.2.3.4 SHQS Compliance and Cavity Wall Insulation

The SHQS target is incorporated into the Scottish Social Housing Charter and the independent Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) is responsible for monitoring social landlords' progress towards the target. The latest SHQS progress update published by the SHR reported that 79% of social homes met the SHQS in 2022/23, compared to 59% reported in the 2022 SHCS.

There are some differences between the SHR and the SHCS survey in the way data for assessing the SHQS is collected and reported which make the headline compliance rates not immediately comparable. Abeyances and exemptions are not taken into account by the SHCS as it is not feasible to collect this kind of information in the survey.

One potential source of difference relates to the ability of the SHCS survey to detect the presence of cavity wall insulation (CWI) in all cases. According to feedback from social landlords, cavity wall insulation is installed as standard where there is a suitable cavity, and in most other cases external or internal insulation is considered (although this is not required for SHQS). This is because CWI is recognised throughout the sector as a relatively low cost measure with a high impact on energy efficiency.

However, the SHCS survey still records uninsulated cavity wall properties, and to allow for the possibility that SHCS surveyors may not always be able to identify the presence of CWI we provide an alternative estimate of SHQS compliance (Section 2.11 of the Methodological and Technical notes). This estimate assumes that all social dwellings have insulated cavity walls where this is technically appropriate. Where it is not appropriate, we assume an exemption. Therefore, this alternative measure of compliance assumes that no dwelling fails the SHQS for lack of CWI. Although this is an unlikely scenario, it illustrates the maximum impact that undercounting CWI in the survey could potentially be making on the measurement of SHQS compliance in the social sector.

Excluding this element from the compliance requirement leads to a 19 percentage point reduction in the energy efficiency element failure rate and a 13 percentage point reduction in overall SHQS failure. This amounts to around 84,000 fewer social sector dwellings failing the SHQS and an overall SHQS compliance rate of 72%.

More information is available on Table HC17 in in ‘SHCS 2022- Chapter 05 Housing Conditions - tables and figures’.