Prospect's Positive Practice

We were very pleased to have our positive practice around tenancy sustainment highlighted in the Scottish Housing Regulator’s Thematic Review on Homelessness Tenancy Sustainment.

The Regulator used data submissions from their Annual Return on the Charter to identify and survey landlords who had achieved a high level of tenancy sustainment for households that were previously homeless, asking questions around successful initiatives, challenges and partnership working. As well as collating key findings, the report shared individual examples of positive practice from social landlords, including Prospect’s approach on working intensively with new tenants at a pre-tenancy stage to build confidence and resilience from the start of the tenancy. The Regulator asked its Tenant Advisors to assess and analyse the survey responses, and to reflect on these from a tenant perspective. The report shared the following about Prospect’s approach.

“Prospect told us that it finds its most effective approach to tenancy sustainment for homeless people is through its investment in new tenancy support. They have increased their work with new tenants at the pre-tenancy stage with the aim of helping them to begin their tenancy, with support which includes agreeing a payment plan upfront to reduce the risk of arrears, automatic benefit check and welfare rights support, energy information and support, meeting a range of staff to give confidence in reporting repairs and learning about community activities in the area. Prospect believes this helps new tenants become part of the community they are moving to and to build a connection and resilience. They also have a Tenancy Sustainment budget which is reviewed annually. This covers the costs of carpets, white goods etc. The cost of the budget is partially offset by reduced voids achieved by sustaining tenancies.”