Several plenary sessions at the conference reflected on the past 45 years of TPAS Scotland, tenant participation and events in the wider social housing sector. Delegates also celebrated the organisation’s birthday during the conference’s anniversary drinks reception and dinner.

A look a TPAS Scotland’s history

1980s

TPAS Scotland formed in 1980 to promote tenant participation in Scotland. It was funded by the Scottish Development Department (SDD) and the former Scottish Office. Its first staff team comprised Project Organiser Robina Goodlad, Development Officer Roger Popplewell and Information Assistant/Secretary Joan Benson.

The organisation’s first board, or ‘advisory committee’, included representatives from SDD, Joseph Rowntree Memorial Trust, Scottish Council for Social Service, Shelter, Scottish Special Housing Association, Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the then Institute of Housing, Housing Corporation, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and Scottish Tenants’ Organisation as well as representatives from housing co-operatives, local authorities and universities. The advisory committee was chaired by Andrew Gilmour, a senior architecture lecturer at the University of Edinburgh. Later, its advisory committee changed to a board of 12, including six landlords and six tenants to ensure a more balanced approach.

TPAS Scotland’s early work included holding seminars across Scotland to highlight the importance of tenant participation and establishing and supporting tenant participation officers’ groups.

In the late 1980s, research by TPAS Scotland found the need for the creation of two new organisations, including a tenant-led body. The Tenants’ Information Service (TIS) was established by TPAS Scotland, and its board comprised only tenants. Tenant Involvement in Grampian, Highlands and Islands and Rural Areas (TIGHRA) was also created to focus on participation in rural, remote and island communities.

1999–2001

After the Scottish Parliament reconvened in 1999, TPAS Scotland supported its members with key events, including the first housing legislation of the new parliament, the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. The act created a legal requirement for landlords to actively develop and support tenant participation.

2010s

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 established the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR), a new regulatory regime, and the Scottish Social Housing Charter. In 2012, ‘The Charter’ came into effect and set out specific standards and outcomes for communication and participation that landlords must deliver to all social housing tenants.

2020–2025

More recently, TPAS Scotland has helped its members to adapt their participation and engagement opportunities in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, including introducing, or increasing, digital methods such as virtual meetings.

In April 2021, the Tenant Participation Certificate pilot was launched as part of a joint initiative between TPAS Scotland and Supporting Communities Open College Network Northern Ireland. The course helps tenants, residents and housing staff to gain an understanding of tenant participation and community development in Scotland. It can also be used to help landlords achieve the TPAS Scotland Accreditation.

In April 2022, after 13 years in the role, Lesley Baird retired as TPAS Scotland chief executive, and director of corporate services Elaine Scoular took over. The following year, Jacqueline Norwood became the organisation’s executive director.

In 2024, TPAS Scotland announced a new organisational structure to ensure it remains financially strong and continues to meet its members’ needs by becoming, as it said, “a more modern, flexible and responsive organisation”. The new structure reduced the number of permanent members of staff to two, with other roles carried out by TPAS Scotland associates which are contractor roles.

Also in 2024, TPAS Scotland carried out research, on behalf of the SHR, looking at tenant participation in general as well as Gypsy/Traveller tenant/resident participation specifically. This research fed into the findings and recommendations in the SHR’s thematic review of tenant and Gypsy/Traveller participation in social housing in Scotland. The review made recommendations for landlords regarding engaging with Gypsy/Traveller tenants/residents as well as ‘hard-to-reach’ tenants.

In March 2025, the Scottish Government and TPAS Scotland jointly published two research reports, with recommendations for landlords, which look at the accessibility of information that’s provided for tenants by social landlords and the support that landlords provide for tenants to engage with and participate in their work.

Jacqueline Norwood, TPAS Scotland executive director, said: “The past 45 years have seen many significant events taking place that have affected tenant participation and engagement in Scotland, including the reconvening of the Scottish Parliament and its subsequent legislation, such as the 2001 Housing Act; the introduction of the Scottish Social Housing Charter; and social landlords’ response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The role of tenant participation and engagement has undoubtedly grown significantly during this period, and we are proud of the lead role TPAS Scotland has played in supporting this.

“While our anniversary has provided an opportunity for reflection, TPAS Scotland and our members have much to look forward to, including the relaunch of our tenant participation accreditation and further important research projects.

“We look forward to continuing to deliver for our members and supporting them with their tenant participation and engagement in the years to come.”