Draft Housing Report Card 2025-2026
This report card includes information about the performance of Shetland Islands Council (SIC) Housing Service between April 2025 and March 2026 as reported to Scottish Housing Regulator in the Annual Return of the Charter.
Properties Let
In 2025/2026, we successfully let 121 SIC properties across Shetland. This includes general needs and sheltered housing.
Also, through our nomination agreement with Hjaltland Housing Association (HHA), 26 applicants were housed. The table below shows where new tenancies were started either through SIC allocation or HHA nomination during the year.
| Locality Area | Council Lets | Hjaltland Housing Nominations | Total Lets and Nominations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central | 9 | 3 | 12 |
| Lerwick and Bressay | 42 | 17 | 59 |
| North | 28 | 1 | 29 |
| Isles | 23 | 3 | 26 |
| South | 14 | 2 | 16 |
| West | 5 | 0 | 5 |
| Total | 121 | 26 | 147 |
Locality Area by Community Council Area
Property Turnover
The lettable properties that became available during 2025/2026 was 7.72% of stock, very similar to the previous year.
There was a decrease in the average time to relet properties from 96.11 days during 2024/2025 to 71.61 days during 2025/2026.
Offers Made
We made 158 offers of housing, of these 15% were refused. This is a reduction in the number of refusals from the previous year at 23%.
Housing Applications
The number of applications on the housing register at March 2026 was 613 which compares to 591 in March 2025. Please note that this includes different categories of application - waiting list, transfer, homeless, very sheltered, special case and supported living. This figure includes both live and suspended applications.
Housing Repairs
| Repair Priority with SIC Target time | No of repairs completed | SIC average time |
| Emergency (1 day) | 241 | 2.2 hours |
| Urgent (3 days) | 1013 | 2.22 days |
| Routine (28 days) | 1969 | 10.58 days |
| 3-Month | 14 | 42.57 days |
| All Non-emergency (Urgent, Routine & 3 Month Total) | 2996 | 7.9 days |
Repairs and Maintenance Satisfaction
During 2025/2026 the overall tenant satisfaction with the repairs and maintenance service was 94.76% with most tenants saying they were very satisfied following a repair being completed.
Adaptations
There were 142 adaptations carried out to Council Houses in 2025/2026. This includes both minor and major adaptations from grab rails to level access showers. For the major works, they are assessed on medical need and recommendations from our Occupational Therapy colleagues.
Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS)
The Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) is used as a measure of housing quality in Scotland. Some of the areas where compliance is required are detailed below:-
- Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) - 86%
- Electrical Tests - 96%
- Fire Detection - 98%
The essential fire detection and electrical testing works require access to our properties. We are pleased that the number of properties now compliant in these areas has increased significantly.
Where we have had difficulties gaining access to carry out these works, we have used the No Access Procedure which has proved very effective.
Weekly Rents
The 2025/2026 average weekly rent for a lettable, self contained SIC property was £97.36. Please note this includes all sizes of properties. Further information on rents can be found on our website.
The average weekly rent increase applied to 2025/2026 rents was 7.5%
Rent Loss
The percentage of rent due lost through properties being empty during the last year is 1.82% which is an increase from 2.29% in 2024/2025.
Arrears
The total rent arrears at 31 March 2025 was 8.72%. This figure includes all arrears: current tenants, former tenants and amounts written-off in the year. This is slightly higher than the previous year.
If you find yourself in arrears or have difficulty paying your rent, please contact the Council's Finance Recovery on 01595 744623 and the Citizens Advice Bureau on 015950 694696 who will be able to help you.
What happens if I fall behind with my rent.
Tenant Satisfaction
The key results from the last SIC Tenant Satisfaction survey, April 2026 are below.
| Charter Question | % of SIC tenants who stated they were Very Satisfied or Fairly Satisfied |
|---|---|
| Taking everything into account how satisfied are you with the overall service provided by the Housing Service? | 75% |
| How good or poor do you feel the Housing Service is at keeping you informed about their services and decisions? | 73% |
| How satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the opportunities given to you to participate in the Housing Service's decision making processes? | 58% |
| Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the quality of your home? | 75% |
| Overall, how satisfied or dissatisfied are you with the Housing Service's contribution to the management of the neighbourhood you like in? | 75% |
| Taking into account the accommodation and the services the Housing Service provides, to what extent do you think that the rent for this property represents good or poor value for money? | 64% |
Options available to Tenants - Very Satisfied, Fairly Satisfied, Neither - nor, Fairly Dissatisfied and Very Dissatisfied.
A full tenant satisfaction survey was carried out during winter 2025/2026 with results being reported as part of the 2025/26 Annual Return to Scottish Housing Regulator.
Involving tenants
We are always keen to hear from tenants and to try and find ways of making it easier for you to be involved in shaping the services you receive from us. Ideas and views are always welcome. We want to provide good quality, value for money housing services to all tenants.
We continue to develop our Register of Interested Tenants, where you can tell us what you are interested in and how you want to be involved. If you would like to get more involved or have any queries regarding this, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01595 744360 or you can email housing@shetland.gov.uk
You can find out more information from our website.
Tenant Handbook
The tenant handbook includes important information about your tenancy and is available on our website. Tenant Handbook – Shetland Islands Council
As we are always looking to develop and improve the handbook, any feedback or comments are appreciated. If you have any queries regarding this, please do not hesitate to contact us on 01595 744360 or you can email housing@shetland.gov.uk
Full Charter Submission
Our full Charter submission and report from the Scottish Housing Regulator on our performance is available online at the Housing Regulator website where comparable information is available on all Scottish landlord performance.
Awaabs Law
Awaabs Law which deals with Damp and Mould comes into affect in October. Information can be found in our Tenant Handbook.
Feedback on Report Card
We are keen to hear what you think of the information included in this Report Card - please let us know your thoughts. You can share your views with us by telephone 01595 744360 or you can email housing@shetland.gov.uk
If you require a paper copy of the Report Card please contact us on 01595 744360 or you can email housing@shetland.gov.uk