The Scottish Housing Regulator has praised Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) for significant improvements in business planning in recent years.

In a speech at HouseMark Scotland’s Business Insight and Solutions event in Glasgow, Ian Brennan, the Regulator’s director of regulation, finance and risk, said today’s business plans are typically better at identifying and managing risks, adding that they link strategic objectives and operational plans better and that they confront difficult decisions more clearly.

Ian also discussed the Regulator’s business planning guidance with delegates, published late last year.

He said: “The main messages from our guidance can be encapsulated in three simple statements. Tenants should be at the centre of an RSL’s business planning. RSLs should comply with our regulatory standards. And risks need to be managed.”

Ian reminded delegates that RSLs need to assess their governance structures and arrangements against regulatory standards and take any actions needed to comply with the standards. Lender confidence will be increased by clear evidence that an RSL is doing this.

Ian told delegates that two factors would influence business planning in the near future. The growth in planned spend on new housing means that more RSLs will be involved in developing more houses. And the Office for National Statistics’ forthcoming review of the status of Scottish RSLs could bring changes to regulation which may affect how lenders view the sector.

Ian Brennan’s full speech is available here.