About Us 
Our History Working in Partnership
Berwickshire Housing Association has developed strongly as a landlord over the years, offering responsive and accountable services, quality housing and effective support for partners, as well as being innovative in its own landlord business and in its leadership of a diverse business group.
As a Registered Social Landlord (RSL), we have established effective partnership working arrangements with other locally based RSLs through the Borders Housing Network (BHN) and with Communities Scotland (CS) and Scottish Borders Council (SBC).
Registered Social Landlords
Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) are independent housing organisations registered with Communities Scotland under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.
As a Registered Social Landlord, Berwickshire Housing Association recognises its unique position in being able to access Housing Association Grant and has established effective partnership working arrangements with Communities Scotland, Scottish Borders Council and with other locally based RSLs in the Borders through the Borders Housing Network.
RSLs have a number of key features, which make them extremely attractive as organisations that can have a positive impact on community regeneration. These include:
- RSLs own assets
- They have secure revenue streams
- They often have very strong links to communities, both of place and interest
- They have professional staff
- They are regulated
All Social Landlords registered with Communities Scotland are required to submit an Annual Performance Statistical Return (APSR) to the Regulation and Inspection Division. The returns provide invaluable information about the stock holdings, characteristics and performance of individual RSLs.
Communities Scotland, Our Regulator
Communities Scotland, a Scottish Executive Agency established by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001, sets Performance Standards for all Registered Social Landlords, including Housing Associations. These govern the way their Committees work, their Finances, and the Developments and Services they provide. It monitors them to make sure that they are meeting these standards and can step in to take action if it considers things are going wrong. This action can include replacing Committee Members and senior staff and, in the last resort, arranging for another, better run Association to take over the houses.
Communities Scotland is also responsible for the distribution of ‘Housing Association Grant’ to help the Association fund the building of new properties. The Association will continue to seek funds to develop new housing for rent at affordable levels in Berwickshire, and will continue to approach Communities Scotland for grants where it thinks this would be beneficial.
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