Edinburgh MPs support dialogue between tenants and housing association leadership

After being elected, Tracy Gilbert MP (Edinburgh North and Leith) noticed a trend in complaints and organised this meeting to support both tenants and Places for People Scotland. In a first-of-its-kind collaboration, the Edinburgh MPs arranged the meeting with Places for People Scotland and Edinburgh Tenants Federation to support local tenants to proactively seek support on matters relating to their communities.

The meeting is a further step in the work Places for People Scotland has undertaken in the past 18 months in increasing customer engagement across the city. The meeting covered matters raised by customers including understanding service charges, heating, and repairs and maintenance, as well as customer engagement. By bringing all parties together, the MPs sought to bring together tenants’ voices to continue open, constructive, and effective dialogue.

Tracy Gilbert MP said: “Tenants deserve to feel heard and supported by their housing provider. As Edinburgh MPs, we were pleased to facilitate this meeting so residents could raise their concerns directly and begin to build stronger channels of communication. A lot of the issues raised centred on the transparency of bills from factors and the lack of clarity in communications. We hope that over the coming months these matters can be resolved, giving residents the confidence and reassurance they deserve.”

Dr Scott Arthur MP (Edinburgh South West) added: “Tenants in Edinburgh South West have understandably lost confidence in the service provided by Places for People Scotland. I’m therefore pleased that this meeting offered a chance to reset the relationship. It’s now in everyone’s best interest to work together constructively to rebuild trust and deliver the high-quality services that residents rightly expect and deserve.”

Chris Murray MP (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) commented: “I welcome Places for People Scotland’s commitment to an open, engaged, and transparent relationship with their tenants – demonstrated by our community meeting tonight. However, an engaged, transparent, and supportive housing provider and property factor should not be an exception, but an expectation. I will continue to work alongside residents, my fellow MPs, and Places for People Scotland, to ensure this is achieved.”

Kelly Brown, director of Places for People Scotland, said: “We recognise that there have been times in recent years where our communication with customers should have been better and we have taken the appropriate steps to improve this. Yesterday’s meeting marked another positive step forward, demonstrating what can be achieved when we work together.

“We are always listening. Over the last 18 months, we’ve worked closely with our customers and local MPs to improve the overall customer experience. For those whose homes are powered by a district heating system, we’ve brought in an internal expert to review all tariffs and procure a new partner. We remain committed to driving further improvements to ensure we provide a service that our customers can be proud of.”