As the professional body for the housing sector, the Chartered Institute of Housing said it is always looking for ways to support and enhance professional practice across the housing workforce.

In 2021, it launched a new professional standards framework to help ensure all housing practitioners, no matter their role, had the right values and behaviours to work in the sector and its industry-leading qualifications have long been recognised as the best way to evidence housing knowledge and skills.

However, beyond this, the CIH said there is much more that landlords can do to help improve the professionalism of their staff and as such the new Housing Professionalism Commitment is another tool to support landlords to enhance professional practice.

CIH Scotland’s national director Callum Chomczuk said: “We know that housing education and continuing professional development supports improved practitioner practice and tenant outcomes; an independent report commissioned by CIH Scotland and conducted by Indigo House confirms as much. However, we also know that although the UK government is introducing a qualification requirement for senior practitioners working in the social housing sector in England, there are no plans for professional requirements in Scotland.

“As such, the Housing Professionalism Commitment, launched today, has been designed to help Scottish housing organisations improve the professionalism of their staff by demonstrating their commitment to ongoing education and professional development and I would encourage all landlords across Scotland to sign up and show their support for housing to be recognised as the impactful profession that it is.”

As well as the new Professionalism Commitment, CIH Scotland has also developed key asks it wants to see the Scottish Government progress to support housing professionalisation, including registration for housing management professionals.

You can find out more and sign up for the Commitment on the CIH website, where you can also download the accompanying guidance for organisations on how to meet the Commitment aims.