With a submission deadline set for 15 December, the initiative encourages feedback from tenants, landlords, and other stakeholders, emphasising the importance of their insights in shaping social housing regulatory standards.

A key proposal would see the regulator introduce a new provision to its statutory guidance to allow the Regulator to require landlords to provide explicit assurance in the Annual Assurance Statement (AAS) on a specific issue or issues.

The regulator also proposes changes to strengthen the emphasis in its Regulatory Framework on social landlords listening to tenants and service users, to make it clearer when a social landlord is non-compliant, and to initiate a comprehensive review of the Annual Return on the Charter which it will consult on next year.

George Walker, the Scottish Housing Regulator’s chair, said: “Our proposals reflect the feedback from stakeholders on our discussion paper from earlier this year. Since then we’ve continued to discuss our ideas at meetings and events, to develop and test our thinking.

“Overall, stakeholders have told us that in general the current Regulatory Framework works well and remains relevant and appropriate.

“We’ve also seen a clear appetite from those involved in social housing for a period of stability and for changes to be kept to a minimum.”

Mr Walker continued: “There was also general support from tenants, landlords, investors and representative bodies for the approach that we set out in the discussion paper and for the changes we proposed.

“Thank you to everyone who has shared their views so far. This has been a really constructive discussion, and your feedback has been invaluable.

“The draft Regulatory Framework and guidance we are now proposing have been shaped by your feedback, and will continue to be informed by your responses to this consultation.”

The regulator will use the consultation feedback to develop its final Regulatory Framework and guidance which it will publish in February 2024 and implement on 1 April 2024.

The consultation package is available on the Regulator’s website www.housingregulator.gov.scot