Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell has today released the Scottish Housing Regulator's assessment of the Mazars Report on the valuation of the housing stock transferred to Glasgow Housing Association.

The Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations, whose members are engaged in Second Stage Transfer of housing stock initially transferred to GHA, commissioned chartered accountants Mazars to analyse the GHA stock transfer valuations.

Mazars concluded, based on the evidence available to them, that the transfer valuations were unfair to tenants.

-- Advertisement --

Maxwell asked the Scottish Housing Regulator - charged with protecting the interests of tenants - to provide an independent assessment of the report.

The report concludes that the Second Stage Transfer process should move forward "at a pace that minimises the effect of GHA's annual business plan changes on the valuations".

Maxwell said: "The Scottish Housing Regulator's report provides an independent assessment of the Mazars report and clearly sets out areas that require further exploration.

"I have spoken this week to GHA and the Forum and made it clear that both them and the other Local Housing Organisations involved in Second Stage Transfer must now get round the table and agree a way forward.

"We are all agreed that fairness for tenants is crucial when setting transfer values. What's important is that tenants get the opportunity to decide on an actual transfer proposal as soon as possible."

(GK/JM)