Jocelyne Fleming

Last year I had the opportunity to work with housing association representatives to identify challenges they face in the widescale retrofit of their stock. Based on their insights, CIOB published a research report highlighting these barriers and making recommendations for tangible policy change.

Almost exactly one year from our original publication date, I had the privilege to work with representatives from a variety of Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and to ask them, once again, what challenges they are currently facing and what is needed to mitigate them.

Disappointingly, most of the challenges remain the same. If anything, given emerging issues like RAAC, things have worsened, not improved.

Ultimately, RSLs are left where they were last year: struggling to manage tightening budgets against increasing costs; while grappling with competing priorities of trying to improve their properties according to nebulous energy efficiency standards with minimal upheaval to tenants.

Frustratingly, the recommendations made for policy change – yet unactioned – remain equally relevant and even more urgently needed.

While difficult and resource-intensive, system-wide reforms are needed to the funding landscape for social housing retrofit if we are ever going to reach our goals for decarbonisation and ensure a Just Transition.

Policy needs to provide long-term, joined-up planning and certainty for RSLs. Echoing the initial stakeholder group’s suggestions, when I met with RSLs one year on they urged Government to create a national, multi-year plan for funding allocation that considers retrofit at a neighbourhood level, is based on need, and adopts a cross-tenure approach.

The original report, ‘Harnessing Scotland’s Social Housing Expertise’ noted that major barriers fell into three primary areas: funding, approach, and skills shortages. One year later, these three primary areas continue to pose the most significant risks to Scotland’s retrofit objectives.

Funding and cost were still identified as the biggest challenges in this space. As was the case last year, cost-matched funding programmes are simply insufficient to pay for widescale retrofit works. Additionally, funding and application requirements remain problematic and complicated: it is too difficult and expensive for RSLs to apply for piecemeal, annual funding with no guarantee of approval.

The approach to retrofit also continues to pose challenges. Mirroring their colleagues, RSLs cited the lack of a long-term approach to retrofit projects as a problem. They asked questions about the ‘right’ approach to heating, the longevity and maintenance costs of heat pumps, and highlighted worries about the difficulty of identifying the ‘right way’ to tackle retrofit projects now to avoid wasting money and resources.

Reflective of the skills shortages in construction, RSLs said repeatedly that they struggle to find the people needed to take on retrofit projects. They raised concerns about the increased costs of securing tradespeople in an immensely competitive market.

They clarified the logistical challenges they face in undertaking these projects. Beyond the difficulties created as a result of the skills shortages, challenges also arise during the course of projects, from decanting and compensating tenants, to challenges with timescales and securing the necessary access to properties.

They called for greater efforts to upskill and train people to reduce the skills shortage in construction. They argue that work is needed to educate the public – especially tenants – about the purpose of retrofit, what it means, how it makes a difference, and why it’s important.

Once again, the social housing sector has made clear the leadership role required from Government if Scotland is to meet its retrofit targets. Importantly, in the time since the publication of the original report, Scottish Government has declared a housing emergency.

While this declaration signals the Government’s recognition of the urgency of the issues at hand, what is desperately needed from Scottish Government is decisive action.

We continue to urge policymakers to develop a strategic national plan for retrofit that considers the financial and human resources needed to undertake these projects; takes a cross-tenure, neighbourhood-based approach; sets long-term energy efficiency standards; and increases the amount of and access to funding for RSLs.

As we argued last year, RSLs are willing and capable allies in meeting Scotland’s retrofit challenge, they simply need the long-term stability and security and flexibility of funding to get on with the job at hand.