Our Approach

How Dunlin works

An organisation that operates with unusual clarity about how it knows what it knows. Data-informed management, transparent governance, and a genuine commitment to resident outcomes.

The operating model

Structured by design

Dunlin Housing is a for-profit registered provider. That is a more precise and less common thing than a standard housing association. We are subject to the same regulatory framework — RSH registration, Consumer Standards, Economic Standards — but we operate as a commercial entity with a governance structure designed to match that context.

The governance framework organises everything Dunlin does across four domains: the quality of the physical asset, the experience of residents, the financial resilience of the organisation, and compliance with its regulatory obligations. These domains are not independent. Decisions made in one affect the others, and our board is structured to understand those interdependencies rather than manage each domain in isolation.

The information the board receives is structured, not ad hoc. Performance is reported against a defined framework. Risk is owned, not delegated to a register that is reviewed annually and then filed.

Four governance domains

Place-Making

Asset condition, planned maintenance, safety compliance

Customer Success

Resident satisfaction, repairs, engagement

Financial Resilience

Cashflow, investment planning, financial viability

Compliance

Regulatory position, statutory obligations, data

Asset management

Asset intelligence

Every property in the Dunlin portfolio is tracked against a structured condition framework. Maintenance is planned, not reactive. Safety obligations are monitored systematically, not chased at renewal.

Condition monitoring

Stock condition tracked continuously

Property condition is assessed against a defined framework and scored. The board receives an Asset Condition Index at each meeting, not a narrative summary of what the maintenance team hopes is happening.

Planned maintenance

Maintenance scheduled, not improvised

The investment programme is built from condition data, not from what has recently broken. Cyclical maintenance, component replacement, and improvement works are planned and funded in advance.

Safety compliance

Landlord obligations managed systematically

Gas safety, electrical safety, fire risk assessments, damp and mould — all tracked against a compliance schedule. Certificates are not chased at expiry. Renewals are scheduled before they are due.

Resident partnerships

Resident partnerships

The RSH Consumer Standard requires registered providers to give residents a meaningful say in how their homes are managed. Dunlin intends to exceed that requirement.

Resident satisfaction is measured quarterly and reported to the board — not annually, and not in a format that obscures poor performance. Complaints are taken seriously. The resident panel has a direct line to board-level decision making.

This is not a communications strategy. It is how the organisation learns whether it is managing its homes well.

Engagement commitments

  • Quarterly resident satisfaction measurement
  • Results published on this website
  • Resident panel with board representation
  • Annual report to residents
  • Complaints policy published and followed

Sustainability

Environmental responsibility

Dunlin's sustainability approach starts with the stock. Well-maintained, energy-efficient homes cost less to run and produce fewer emissions. That is the primary sustainability commitment — not a reporting framework bolted on afterwards.

EPC C

Minimum target for all stock by 2028

0

Properties with EPC F or G rating

TBC

Net zero pathway — in development

Annual

Sustainability report published