Housing Charter Performance

Stephen Gibson - Executive Director of Housing and Technical Resources

As Executive Director of Housing and Technical Resources, I am delighted to present the annual performance report for 2025/26. This report highlights the Resource’s achievements and performance over the past year, and I am pleased that in presenting my final report on this that we have continued to provide high-quality services to our customers despite another challenging period for the housing sector.

Over the past year, many tenants have continued to face cost-of-living challenges, while rising costs have increased pressure on Council services. Despite these challenges, we have remained committed to delivering essential front-line services to our customers and the dedication, resilience and professionalism demonstrated by teams across Housing and Technical Resources give me confidence that we will continue to meet the needs of our tenants and other customers.

This annual performance report demonstrates that, throughout ongoing economic uncertainty, we have not only sustained the delivery of vital services but have also maintained, and in some areas improved, performance standards across the high-quality services our customers expect. There is always room for improvement, and we are actively implementing changes to enhance efficiency and ensure services continue to be delivered effectively.

The pages that follow provide more detailed information about performance across our wide range of services. However, I am particularly pleased to highlight a number of significant achievements delivered during 2025-26, including

• continued to allocate council housing to those who needed it most, including homeless households and other priority groups
• continued to re-let our homes in just over 18 days, significantly lower than the Scottish average
• continued to be one of the most affordable local authority landlords in Scotland with the eighth lowest average weekly rent of £89.92
• completed 30,338 reactive repairs during the year, with 98.8% carried out right first time

I hope that you find the annual performance report to be interesting reading. Your valuable feedback helps us to understand your experience of our services and shows us where we can improve, and I would welcome any views or observations you may have on the report.

Please email your views and comments to StratSupAdm@southlanarkshire.gov.uk

South Lanarkshire Council at a glance

South Lanarkshire is the fifth largest local authority area in Scotland with a population of 334,030 and around 152,030 households. We are also the fourth largest council provider of rented housing in Scotland – managing just over 26,000 homes for tenants. As the population continues to rise year on year, this places demand on housing services.

Our stock provides a range of house types and sizes to meet most of the requirements of our tenants alongside specialist housing provision, including amenity and sheltered housing, for older people and tenants with mobility issues.

• 4 in a block 4,730
• Highrise 1,358
• Houses 12,371
• Tenement 5,614
• Other flats/maisonettes 2,096

Understanding the information and how we compare to others

This report is based on the Scottish Social Housing Charter. The Charter applies to all social housing landlords in Scotland. It provides a basis for the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) to assess and report on how well landlords are performing and identify areas that might require further regulatory involvement.

This report and information, which is available through the SHR’s website www.scottishhousingregulator.gov.uk helps us to compare our performance with other landlords and enables you to see where we are performing well and where we need to improve.

Equalities

We gather information about our tenants so that we can get a better understanding of their needs. For example, we know that 13% of tenants consider themselves to have a disability. This information helps to ensure that housing services are both accessible and delivered in a way that meets the needs of our customers.

Age profile of tenants

• 16-24 years - 3%
• 25-44 years - 31%
• 45-64 years - 37%
• 65 years plus - 27%
• Not known - 2%

Customer/Landlord relationship

Every three years, we carry out a customer satisfaction survey to obtain views on a wide range of our services. The feedback we receive helps to ensure that we deliver services which are ‘fit for purpose’ and meet the needs and demands of customers. We carried out a customer satisfaction survey in 2025/26 and received 1,600 responses. The survey results were mostly positive showing an increase in satisfaction across most areas. Here are the key highlights from this survey:

Survey findings - satisfaction %

Your opportunity to tell us what you think about our services

Understanding what tenants think about the broad range of services we provide is extremely important to us. If you are contacted about any services you have recently used, please take the time to tell us how we did.

All feedback is completely confidential and helps us to identify areas for improvement and development.

Neighbourhood and community

We also carry out other routine customer satisfaction surveys throughout the year.

Anti-social behaviour (ASB) is an issue that can affect individuals and communities across the country. Working with our partners, we aim to resolve anti-social behaviour complaints quickly and effectively to minimise the impact it can have on communities.

Our Anti-social Behaviour Strategy aims to contribute to improving the quality of life of those living in South Lanarkshire. By working in partnership with agencies, including Police Scotland and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, we aim to resolve anti-social behaviour quickly and effectively, ensuring victims of anti-social behaviour are always provided with the right kind of support.

Survey findings - satisfaction %

Other customers

Gypsy/traveller community 100% - All tenants in this category said they were satisfied with the management of their site

Survey findings - satisfaction %

We continue to work closely with the residents of our two Gypsy/Traveller sites at Shawlands Crescent and Springbank Park. During the year, further progress has been made on improvement works identified in Site Masterplans, which were developed jointly by residents and the council. The plans ensure that both sites continue to meet the cultural needs and traditions of the Gypsy/Traveller community.

Housing quality and maintenance

Meeting the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS)

We remain committed to ensuring our housing stock meets all legislative requirements, including full compliance with SHQS.

20,428 council homes now meet all five elements that make up the SHQS and during the current year we will continue to invest in home improvements which will help to meet this standard.

At present, 3,760 council homes, representing 14% of the housing stock, do not currently meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS).SHQS compliance levels have reduced as a result of an increase in failures relating to the ‘Modern Facilities and Services’ criterion. The primary cause of these failures is the age and condition of existing kitchen installations across the housing stock.

To address this issue, the council has commenced delivery of a new kitchen replacement programme and is actively progressing actions to increase the rate of installations completed each week. This targeted investment is expected to significantly reduce the number of properties currently failing the Modern Facilities and Services criterion.

The Scottish Government is currently carrying out a review of the EESSH milestone target and reporting framework, which means that we are not reporting on EESSH this year. Whilst the review is underway, we will continue to invest in energy efficiency measures to help reduce running costs, and in zero direct emissions heating systems where appropriate. This will prevent lock-in of poor performance and reduce the risk of additional issues arising in future.

Our key priority is to ensure provision of well-maintained appropriate quality housing which meets the need of existing and future tenants. The 2026-27 Housing Capital Programme reflects the level of investment required to continue to increase the SHQS and the energy efficiency of all existing council homes.

Gas safety checks were carried out in 22,198 homes 

Each year, we aim to achieve 100% gas safety checks. We recognise that some tenants may feel anxious about having people enter their homes, and our approach to gas servicing takes account of this. To make the process as easy as possible, or heating team issue tenants with appointment letters detailing the scheduled date of the gas safety visit, while engineers also make courtesy calls on the morning of the visit.

This approach has helped us maintain full compliance, with no properties overdue for a gas safety check at the year end. Performance continues to be closely monitored by senior management, with appropriate action taken to address any issues that arise.

About our repairs service

You have told us that the repairs service is one of the most important services we provide.

This section sets out the volume and type of repairs carried out each year and how we have performed over the last three years.

Our repairs performance during 2025-26 demonstrates the commitment and hard work of the repairs service in reducing the average time taken to complete both emergency and non-emergency repairs. As a result, performance remained well within the target response time of 24 hours for emergency repairs.

The information below shows a decrease in the number of both our emergency and non-emergency repairs.

Emergency repairs:

A wide range of work is carried out on a non-emergency or routine basis, and last year we completed 31,595 repairs.

• Repairs by appointment – 20,895
• Routine repairs – 3,504
• Planned maintenance – 5,939
• Other works – 1,257

Non-emergency repairs:

31,595 non-emergency repairs completed

While our performance is higher than the LAA or SA average, we are within the 28 day target we agreed with tenants. We focus on completing our repairs ‘right first time’ reducing the need for follow-up visits and further disruption to our tenants.

Repairs right first time

We know that when work is required, it is important to tenants that it’s carried out quickly and to a high standard. Last year, we were able to plan a high proportion of our reactive repairs (30,338), resulting in 98.78% of these carried out ‘right first time’.

Repairs satisfaction

Of the 617 tenants who responded to our survey 88.98% said they were satisfied overall with the repairs service. This compares well with the landlord and Scottish average.

Access to housing and support

We are committed to making it as simple as possible for customers to access our services. Working in partnership with a number of housing associations, we operate HomeFinder, the South Lanarkshire Common Housing Register. Before applying for housing, applicants must complete the HomeOptions self-assessment tool, on the council’s website. The tool provides a range of information and advice to help applicants consider the housing options which best suit their circumstances. Applicants can then complete an on-line HomeFinder housing application form, to apply for housing with any of the HomeFinder landlords.

At the end of March 2026, there were 13,864 applicants on the housing register, wishing to be housed within South Lanarkshire. The housing needs of these applicants are assessed in line with the HomeFinder assessment of housing need and placed on the appropriate list.

Almost 14,000 people on the housing register

• Waiting list – 9,579
• Transfer list – 2,628
• Urgent housing need – 1,657

Homes let

We continue to be committed to letting homes to those in most housing need, including homeless households and other priority groups, for example, H.M Forces and Urgent Medical need, ensuring that we respond to local needs and make best use of our available housing stock.

Last year, we let 1,816 homes. 1,663 of these homes were ‘general needs’, while the remaining 153 were sheltered homes.

Last year we managed to let our homes more quickly than the majority of other landlords. We continue to focus on carrying out repairs on vacant properties as quickly as possible in order that homes can be let efficiently.

Rent loss from empty homes

Even when we perform very well in turning around empty homes, there will always be an element of rent loss. At the end of March, we had 162 homes which were empty while we carried out essential repairs and found the next tenant. The total rent loss during the year for homes available to let was £386,109.00

Stephen Gibson - Executive Director “Our priority continues to be providing support to the most vulnerable households and those with the greatest housing needs within our communities. We have again delivered strong performance compared with both local authority and national averages in bringing empty homes back into use, reducing rent loss and maintaining sustainable tenancies. These positive outcomes reflect the ongoing commitment and professionalism of our Housing and Technical Resources employees."

Getting good value from rents and service charges

We continue to be one of the most affordable landlords in Scotland with the eighth lowest average weekly rent.

The rent a tenant is required to pay depends on the type and size of their home. The table below shows the average rental charge for a council home over the last three years and provides a comparison against the local authority and Scottish average last year.

Average rents:

Rent increase

Every effort is made to keep rent increases to a minimum and to keep rents affordable, while at the same time ensuring a high standard of service delivery and investment. This allows us to continue to build new affordable homes, improve existing homes and meet quality and energy efficiency standards.

As part of the annual rent setting process, we consult widely with tenants across all areas of South Lanarkshire. During the consultation for 2024-25, tenants agreed a three year approach to setting rents to be reviewed on annual basis. In 2025-26 a rent increase of 6.5% (£5.49 per week based on an average weekly rent) was agreed. This took into account the financial impact caused by the ongoing economic uncertainty and cost of living increases on both the council and tenants and in line with other Scottish local authorities.

The total amount of rental income (and service charges) we were due to collect during 2025-26 was £119,504,017 and we successfully collected 98.55% (£117,774,536). This amount also includes income that was due in previous years.

Sharon Egan - Head of Housing Services – “The approved 6.5% rent increase for 2025/26 reflects the continued ongoing economic challenges affecting the council and its tenants, and our commitment to investing in existing homes, which is a priority for our tenants. We recognise that many households continue to feel the financial effects of the cost of living increases, which is why we remain committed to being one of Scotland’s most affordable social landlords. I would encourage any tenants experiencing financial hardship too contact their local housing officer for support and assistance.”

Satisfaction - good value for money

We work hard to ensure that our housing services provide good value for money. As part of our tenant survey, 91.6% of our tenants told us that they felt our services represented good value for money.

The information below provides a breakdown of the key areas of expenditure within the Housing Revenue Account (which is the total of the rent and other income received) during 2025-26 and how this was used for the benefit of our tenants.

2025/26 - £128m total spend

How every £1 is spent