Public performance reports

South Lanarkshire Council aims to meet the housing needs of the people in the area by providing good quality, affordable homes for all to access and enjoy. The Scottish Social Housing Charter applies to all social housing landlords in Scotland, including local authorities, and the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) is responsible for collecting and reporting the performance information provided by the landlords. The Charter sets out the outcomes which  tenants can expect from their landlords in terms of quality, condition, value for money as well as the level of involvement and participation of tenants in the decisions that affect them.

Rent collected as percentage of total rent due in the reporting year - Target 99.41%

What this means
This indicator measures the proportion of rental income due in the reporting year that was collected, so high levels of collection are positive  and demonstrate  that the council is working to ensure that money due  is being effectively collected.

Why this matters
Rent collection is essential in order that the council, as a landlord, can fund the service and invest in our properties and services. We aim to ensure that all money due for rent is collected.

How we have performed in improving this public service

Our performance exceeds the target we set for 2024/25 and was also above the Scottish average. Positive performance in this area has been achieved despite the prevailing economic environment and the challenging financial circumstances which many council tenants are experiencing. At the same time the council continues to set affordable rents and provide advice and assistance to support tenants and other customers where necessary.

For more information about the Welfare Reform follow the link to Rent Income Support Team.

Percentage of rent due in the year that was lost due to voids - Target 0.50%

What this means
This indicator calculates the percentage of rent loss as a result of properties being empty. 

Why this matters
This indicator allows the council to track the percentage of income lost due to its properties being empty, and supports a focus on the effective management of empty properties to maximise income and meet housing need.

Our performance and how we compare

How we have performed in improving this public service
The council continues to perform well above the Scottish average. For a considerable period of time performance in this area has been consistently among the best in Scotland compared to other local authorities. Over the past three years we have had either the lowest or second lowest void rent loss with the level of money lost due to properties being empty well below the Scottish average.

Average length of time taken to re-let properties in the last year - Target 28 days

What this means
This indicator measures the average days to re-let properties (excluding new builds).

Why this matters
Monitoring the average days to re-let properties is essential in order that the council, as a landlord maximises both the availability of housing to meet need, and rental income.  

Our performance and how we compare

** Scottish average is based on the Scottish Housing Regulator Charter Indicator and includes all registered social landlords and local authorities

How we have performed in improving this public service
Performance in relation to the time it takes to re-let properties remains significantly below the Scottish average. The council will continue to work to meet the needs of service users and reduce average time to re-let properties.

You will find out more about this in the Local Housing Strategy 2022-27

Dwellings meeting the energy efficiency standard for social housing (EESSH) - Target 100%

What this means
This indicator measures the council's success in ensuring that its houses are energy efficient as compared against a national standard.

Why this matters
This allows the council to measure that its homes are energy efficient by implementing measures to reduce energy consumption and fuel poverty. It also contributes to reducing carbon emissions in line with Climate Change.

Our performance and how we compare

How we have performed in improving this public service
The 2025 and 2032 EESSH Milestones have been suspended as the Scottish Government are reviewing the EESSH2 standards to strengthen and realign the standard with the target for net zero heat in houses from 2045. In advance of the new national indicators, a review of housing stock is underway to determine the additional energy measures required to achieve energy efficiency and carbon reduction requirements within the council’s housing stock.

A wide range of work is carried out on a non-emergency, routine basis, last year we completed just over 32,000 repairs of this type with over 48,000 emergency repairs also completed.

Percentage of tenants who have had repairs or maintenance carried out in the last 12 months satisfied with the repairs and maintenance service - Target 90%

What this means
This indicator measures the councils performance in relation to customers perception of the repairs and maintenance service.

Why this matters
This indicator is a measure of whether the council is achieving its aim of providing a first class repairs service for its customers.

Our performance and how we compare

How we have performed in improving this public service
The council’s position has remained above the Scottish average over the past 3 years.

South Lanarkshire Council tenants continue to demonstrate extremely  high levels of satisfaction with the service, with 91.91% of tenants indicating that they are satisfied with the overall service received. This indicator is required by the  Scottish Housing Regulator and results for comparable authorities in our Family Group are as follows:

Our results reflect the last full survey which the council carried out in 2022/23 where satisfaction increased significantly in all areas as illustrated in the table below. There is a Scottish Housing Regulator requirement for these surveys to be undertaken on a 3-yearly cycle with next surveys recently conducted in November 2025 which will be reported to the Scottish Housing Regulator in May 2026. We continue to use this information to identify which aspects of the service are doing well and which we need to improve. It is important to us that customers who use the housing service feel that they receive a high quality of service and these indicators plays a key role in ensuring we are effectively monitoring progress in this area.

The views of our tenants and other customers are important to Housing Services, and wide and varied consultation and engagement is undertaken throughout each year to complement our existing customer groups and approach to measuring customer satisfaction.  During 2024-25, Housing Services published 7 online surveys covering a range of different topics and consultations, generating 2,653 responses.

Each year we agree a programme for engagement with tenants and other housing customers. The key features during 2024-25 were:

Involvement in the budgetary process

The approach to tenant engagement continues to be co-produced by housing customers through the Budget Scrutiny Group (BSG). The group provides the vehicle for discussion between the council and tenants on the budgetary process and the financial challenges and opportunities facing housing services on an ongoing basis.

The rent setting consultation programme for 2026-27 followed a similar programme to previous years, utilising existing engagement structures, including an on-line survey.

The main focus of the consultation was the joint Tenant Participation Co-ordination Group (TPCG) and BSG Budget and Rent Proposal Meeting in October, the tenants Panel meeting in November, local focus group meetings with sheltered housing tenants, homelessness service users and residents at the council’s Gypsy/Traveller sites, a tenant led closing event, facilitated by the Tenant Development Support Project in December and an online survey which was widely publicised through:

• the council’s social media platforms
• the council website
• an article within Housing news
• an email/text message promoting the survey to tenants who indicated this was their preferred method of contact
• a global email sent to all council staff promoting the survey
• Housing staff promoting the survey to tenants
• Promotion of the survey by the Community Engagement Team through their weekly news bulletin, which included a link to the online survey
• an email/letter promoting the consultation with link to the online survey, issued to Tenant and Resident Organisations, Citizen’s Panel, Customers whose details are held on the Interested Individual Register, the SLTDSP mailing list

There was a significant response to the online survey with 1,335 surveys completed and 51% of respondents in favour of the proposed 6.5% increase.

The council continues to discuss the key issues and challenges facing the housing budget with tenants, including the ongoing economic uncertainty and impact of the cost-of-living-crisis, increased costs associated with delivering front line services and the council’s commitment to ensuring rents remain affordable.

Customer-led scrutiny

Using a framework co-produced with customer representatives, the annual customer scrutiny programme was progressed during 2024/25 by the Customer Scrutiny Group (CSG) and supported by the South Lanarkshire Tenant Development Support Project.  

Following a review of performance information, including the Annual Return on the Charter, the CSG undertook a detailed scrutiny activity which considered the council’s new Home and Health Assessment Service (HHAS) which was introduced in April 2024. The HHAS, delivered jointly by Housing Services and the Occupational Therapy service, aims to assist people with medical conditions to remain in their existing home, however, where this is not possible, an appropriate level of priority is awarded under the Housing Allocation Policy to help them to move to a more suitable home.

The report detailing the findings from this scrutiny activity was presented to the council in March 2025. The report was very positive and recognised the enhanced service and positive outcomes for customers achieved through the HHAS.

Regular updates on progress of the customer scrutiny programme continue to be provided to the wider tenant audience through Housing news.

Information to customers on housing and related services

During 2024/25, the Resource continued to promote and support digital engagement with sheltered housing tenants. I-pads are available within community lounges for use by tenants. Sheltered tenants continue to be supported to access online services and stay digitally connected by the service’s five volunteer Digital Champions who have all completed training provided by Connecting Scotland.

Sheltered Housing News continues to be produced annually, bringing tenants important strategic housing updates, as well as a round-up of news from across sheltered housing developments in South Lanarkshire. The publication is provided to tenants via letterbox drop and is also made available in audio format to ensure that visually impaired sheltered tenants do not miss out.  

Annual tenants’ meetings continue to be held at individual sheltered developments in the late summer / early autumn, providing sheltered tenants with the opportunity to provide their feedback on the service to both council officials and Elected Members.

The East Kilbride Sheltered Tenant’s Forum continues to meet quarterly. The Resource regularly consults with the Forum on the development and review of key policies and strategies.

During 2024/25, the council commissioned independent consultancy firm Research Resource Scotland to carry out a survey of sheltered housing tenants to better understand satisfaction with the quality of support provided by the council. Almost all respondents (96%) said that they were either very satisfied or satisfied with the quality of housing support they receive.  

Engagement with Gypsy/Travellers

Engagement with residents of the council’s two Gypsy/Traveller sites has continued, focusing on the ongoing delivery of the site masterplans. In person site meetings , 1-2-1 conversations between residents and officers and the distribution of site-specific newsletters have all taken place.

Central to the engagement with the community during 2024/25 was the development of a new playpark at the Springbank Park site in East Kilbride. Residents were closely involved in designing the playpark and ensuring that it included a range of equipment for children of different ages to encourage active play and social interaction. Ongoing engagement with site residents took place in relation to a programme of amenity unit extensions at the Shawlands Crescent site, alongside a series of energy efficiency improvements at both sites, including the installation of solar panels.

It is important that the council provides people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless with a quick and efficient service. In relation to our target for letting people know the outcome of their homelessness assessment, we consistently achieve a high level of performance. At the same time, it is important that the council is able to provide good quality temporary accommodation to people who are homeless and the second indicator below highlights the council’s success in doing so.

Percentage of homeless and potentially homeless decision notifications issued within 28 days of initial presentation - Target 95%

What this means
This indicator measures the council’s success in ensuring that its homeless and potentially homeless clients receive a quick and efficient service that meets their needs.

Why this matters
This indicator allows the council to monitor and ensure that it responds quickly, efficiently and effectively to anyone who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.

Our performance and how we compare

How we have performed in improving this public service
South Lanarkshire Council continues with a high level of performance in this service area, and slightly exceeding our target set despite a significant increase in demand and the resulting additional pressure on resources.

Percentage of households provided with temporary accommodation - Target 100%

What this means
This indicator measures the council’s statutory duty to provide homeless households with temporary accommodation where required

Why this matters
This indicator allows the council to monitor and ensure that it responds quickly, efficiently and effectively to any homeless or potential homeless persons.

Our performance and how we compare

How we have performed in improving this public service

Performance has reduced this year due to the adverse impact upon the ability to prevent homelessness due to  the  prevailing socio-economic conditions during 2024/25. This trend has been mirrored nationally.

Where the council has failed to provide accommodation to a homeless individual it is worth noting this has related to the individual’s behaviour (threatening or aggressive) as opposed to the councils inability to source temporary accommodation, although a surge in demand for homeless assistance and pressure in the system is a factor in limiting options available to the council.

For further information about our assessment of homelessness and our key actions and outcomes to tackle homelessness, please refer to the council's Homelessness Strategic Plan (previously referred to as Rapid Rehousing Transition Plan 2019-2024)

When a client becomes homeless, it is important that they maintain their tenancy and do not find themselves homeless again. The council collects the following statistics to measure how good we are at this:

Percentage of households re-assessed as homeless within one year.

What this means
This indicator measures the council’s statutory duty to provide homeless households with settled accommodation and reduce repeat applications

Why this matters
This indicator allows the council to monitor and ensure that it responds quickly, efficiently, and effectively to any homeless or potential homeless persons and tries to prevent repeat applications where possible

Our performance and how we compare

How we have performed in improving this public service
South Lanarkshire Council continues to be successful in addressing repeat homelessness with a high level of performance in this area.

Percentage of homeless tenancies maintained for more than 12 months - Target 91%

What this means
This indicator measures the tenancy sustainment of homeless tenancies

Why this matters
This indicator allows the council to monitor and ensure that it responds quickly, efficiently, and effectively to any homeless person and provides required support to promote tenancy sustainment 

Our performance and how we compare

How we have performed in improving this public service
We continue to make progress in supporting homeless households to sustain their tenancies with performance being slightly above our target but remaining above the national average of 90.96%. We will continue to focus on this area.

Both these indicators allow us to monitor that homeless persons are supported throughout the process to minimise the possibility of becoming homeless again. 

Areas for improvement and action

We will take forward the following key areas for improvement:

• We will continue to monitor and review our approach to supporting homeless tenants, to improve support for tenants, to sustain tenancies for longer than one year
• We will increase our temporary accommodation across communities to meet increasing demand and ensure an appropriate mix of good quality temporary accommodation options, with support for those in need of this assistance during their homelessness journey.

By closely working with Registered Social Landlord (RSLs) partners and the Scottish Government, a total of 202 additional affordable homes for social rent were delivered across South Lanarkshire in 2024/25. This included 50 new homes delivered by the council, 21 new homes delivered by two developing RSLs and the acquisition of 131 existing homes from the private sector to assist in meeting increasing housing need.

All homes constructed on behalf of the council or RSLs meet national Housing for Varying Needs Standards and have high levels of energy efficiency, aiming to reduce living costs for tenants.