The Board’s decision was based on a range of information and evidence and was not based on any single factor. This included:

• feedback from the tenant consultation, individual discussions with tenants, families and representatives, and wider stakeholder engagement;
• demand, occupancy, the number and length of time properties remained empty, and how long it took to re-let homes;
• information from Perth & Kinross Council about demand for different types of housing;
• current and future housing and support needs;
• affordability for current and future tenants;
• financial information, including staffing costs, meal service costs, empty property losses and projected service charges;
• staffing, operational, regulatory and Care Inspectorate requirements;
• the potential impact of the different options on tenants and staff;
• the longer-term viability and sustainability of the services; and
• the risks, benefits and financial implications of the alternative options considered.

An Equality Impact Assessment was also completed as part of the review to consider the potential impact of the proposed changes.

We recognise that there are further questions about the evidence considered as part of the review and will continue to provide information and clarification where appropriate to help explain the basis for the Board’s decision.

Canal Street and Corrie Place will move to a Retirement Housing model from April 2027. Under the new model, tenants will continue to live independently in their own homes within an established community.

The Retirement Housing model will continue to provide:

• an on-site Scheme Manager;
• a Scheme Cleaning Operative to maintain communal areas;
• shared laundry facilities; and
• a warden call system.

The current housing support and meals services will end. As Caledonia will no longer provide a registered housing support service at these developments, the services will also no longer require registration with the Care Inspectorate.

Where tenants require additional care or support, this can be arranged separately according to individual circumstances. We will work with tenants individually to understand their support needs to ensure that appropriate arrangements are in place before the new model begins.

Tay Place and Almond Place will move to an Amenity Housing model from April 2027.

Amenity Housing is an independent living housing model for people aged 50 and over. There will be no on-site staff and Caledonia will no longer provide a warden call service.

Tenants will continue to live independently in their own homes, with Caledonia remaining responsible for managing and maintaining the homes and communal areas.

The change will also reduce the charges associated with the current Very Sheltered Housing service. The Supporting People charge paid to Perth and Kinross Council, and the alarm charge will be removed. The service charge paid to Caledonia will reduce, with charges mainly relating to the upkeep of communal areas.

Tenants will have greater flexibility to arrange additional support according to their individual circumstances, such as a community alarm service where required. We will work with tenants individually to understand their support needs and help them put appropriate arrangements in place before the new model begins.

No. The changes at these developments relate to the housing and service model, rather than tenants having to leave their homes.

Assessments undertaken as part of the review found that 94% of current tenants are able to continue living independently in their homes, taking account of the proposed changes to service provision.

Where tenants require additional care or support, we will work with them individually and, where appropriate, with families, Social Work services, care managers and other support providers to help ensure appropriate arrangements are in place.

The Board has made the difficult decision that the Very Sheltered Housing service at Cameron Court will close.

Unlike the other developments included in the review, Cameron Court will not transition to another Caledonia housing model. Due to the nature of the accommodation at Cameron Court (studio flats without kitchen facilities), it is not possible to transition the development to another housing model.

We understand and appreciate this is a difficult and anxious time for tenants and their families. Cameron Court will remain open while we work individually with each tenant to identify suitable alternative accommodation that meets their needs and preferences. Tenants will be able to remain in their current homes until appropriate alternative accommodation has been identified, and no tenant will be left without a home as a result of this decision.

The transition will be carefully managed through a person-centred approach, with Caledonia working individually with each tenant to understand their circumstances, housing preferences and care or support needs and to discuss the options available to them.

We recognise that everyone’s circumstances are different and tenants will be supported individually throughout the transition. Where appropriate, we will also work with families or representatives, Social Work services, care managers and other support providers.

Cameron Court has experienced ongoing low demand for Very Sheltered Housing, resulting in properties remaining empty for extended periods.

Caledonia has taken a number of steps to try to increase demand, including targeted marketing campaigns and social advertising, as well as working closely with Perth and Kinross Council to promote available homes and explore opportunities to increase referrals. Despite these efforts, they have not resulted in a sustained increase in demand for the service.

The Board considered this alongside tenant feedback, the changing needs of older people and the long-term sustainability of the service when reaching its decision.

Caledonia’s homes in Perth and Kinross are allocated through the Common Housing Register, which is managed by Perth & Kinross Council. This means Caledonia does not maintain the general housing waiting list for Comrie. Applicants are identified through the Common Housing Register according to the type of housing available, eligibility criteria and their assessed housing need.

For Very Sheltered Housing, prospective tenants also undergo an assessment to make sure the service is appropriate for their needs and can support them to live independently. This means that not everyone seeking housing in Comrie will be eligible for, need or want Very Sheltered Housing.

Demand for Cameron Court has been assessed using a range of information, including occupancy levels, the number and length of empty properties, referrals and nominations, offers and refusals, reasons given for refusing homes and our experience of marketing the service.

Over a three-year period, 8 of Cameron Court’s 11 properties became empty, with homes often remaining empty for extended periods. In September 2025, the average empty property period at Cameron Court was 79 days, compared with Caledonia’s target of 28 days for re-letting an empty home.

Reasons given for refusing homes have included:

• the studio-style accommodation and limited living space;
• the absence of individual cooking facilities;
• affordability;
• a preference for greater independence and flexibility; and
• perceptions of Cameron Court as having a care-home environment.

Before further lettings at Cameron Court were suspended as part of the review, Caledonia took a number of steps to promote available homes and encourage referrals. These included social media advertising, promotion through our Perth and Kinross tenant newsletters, local poster campaigns, refreshed photography and marketing materials, and working with Perth & Kinross Council and other partners to encourage appropriate referrals.

Despite these efforts, they did not result in a sustained increase in demand or occupancy.

We recognise that there is wider demand for housing in Comrie. However, demand differs considerably depending on the type of home and service people are looking for.

In June 2026, information from the Perth & Kinross Common Housing Register showed:

Source: Perth & Kinross Council Common Housing Register, June 2026

These figures demonstrate an important distinction. There is demand for housing in Comrie, but this has not translated into the same level of demand for Very Sheltered Housing.

People on the wider housing waiting list are not automatically applicants for Very Sheltered Housing. Their housing needs, preferences and eligibility may be different.

The Board therefore considered waiting-list information alongside actual occupancy, the frequency and length of properties remaining empty, reasons homes had been refused, affordability and the results of efforts to promote the service.

No. The Very Sheltered Housing service at Cameron Court will close, but this will not happen immediately. Tenants do not need to take any action at this stage, and their tenancy agreements and security of tenure are not affected.

The closure will be managed through a person-centred approach rather than through a single change for everyone at the same time.

Caledonia will meet with tenants individually to discuss their circumstances, housing preferences, care and support needs and the options available to them. No tenant will be expected to make alternative arrangements without support and no tenant will be left without a home.

We recognise that Cameron Court is our tenants’ home and that the prospect of change may be unsettling. We are committed to managing the transition sensitively and ensuring tenants are kept informed and supported throughout the process.

Financial information was one part of the evidence considered by the Board and was not the only reason for the decision.

Very Sheltered Housing is more expensive to provide than Caledonia’s other older people’s housing models because of the additional staffing, meal provision and regulatory requirements involved.

As part of the review, the Board considered:

• the cost of providing the service – including staffing, meal provision and the financial impact of properties remaining empty;
• affordability for tenants – in 2025/26, the average Very Sheltered Housing service charge was approximately £95.50 per week, compared with £38.56 per week for Retirement Housing; and
• the longer-term financial position – modelling estimated that maintaining the existing Very Sheltered Housing model across the three services would result in an operating deficit of approximately £50,000 a year, with the potential for this to increase over time.

The Board considered this financial information alongside tenant feedback, demand and occupancy, current and future housing and support needs and the longer-term sustainability of the services.

As a registered social landlord, Caledonia reinvests all surpluses into maintaining and improving homes, meeting safety and regulatory requirements, investing in new affordable housing, and supporting services for tenants. This helps ensure that we can continue to meet our responsibilities and provide sustainable services for current and future tenants.

The proposed changes to the Very Sheltered Housing service are not only being driven by the service’s current financial performance. Instead, they form part of a wider review of how we provide services to ensure they continue to meet tenants’ needs now and in the future.

In considering the proposal, the Board took account of a range of factors, including tenant and staff feedback, demand for the service, current and future housing and support needs, financial performance, and the long-term sustainability of the service model.

There are no changes to rents or service charges for the 2026/27 financial year as a result of the review.  This is separate from Caledonia’s normal annual rent and service charge review.

From April 2027, changes to the services provided under the Retirement and Amenity Housing models will reduce the associated service charges.

For example, tenants moving to the Amenity Housing model at Tay Place and Almond Place will no longer pay the Supporting People or alarm charges and will have a reduced service charge.

We will provide affected tenants with detailed information about any changes to their charges well in advance of the new service models being introduced.

Our Very Sheltered Housing model has been in place since the 1990s. Since then, the way older people’s housing, care and support are delivered has changed significantly.

There is now a greater emphasis on supporting people to live independently in their own homes, with care and support tailored to individual needs. This can give people greater choice and flexibility over the support they receive as their circumstances change.

The review therefore considered the most appropriate future model for each development. At Canal Street and Corrie Place, the new Retirement Housing model will retain an on-site Scheme Manager and warden call system. At Tay Place and Almond Place, the move to Amenity Housing will provide a more independent housing model with reduced service charges.

Where tenants need additional support, we will work with them individually to help ensure appropriate arrangements are in place. Depending on individual needs, this could include services such as community alarms, daily check-ins or other care and support provided by relevant external organisations.

As part of the review, the Board considered three broad options: retaining the existing service model, introducing a new service model, or working with an external provider.

Each option was considered against a range of factors, including the impact on tenants, affordability, demand, financial and operational sustainability, feasibility and longer-term risks.

Caledonia had also begun early-stage discussions with Perth & Kinross Council and the Health and Social Care Partnership as well as other third parties about potential future options for Cameron Court. At that stage, the tenant consultation was still underway and the outcome of the review was not known, so these discussions could not progress in detail.

We heard the requests at the community meeting to explore alternative models and to involve the community and partner organisations in considering what might be possible for Cameron Court.

There will be no immediate changes to services at the Comrie developments. We will continue discussions with relevant partners and engage constructively with the community about any viable alternative proposals that may emerge.

Any alternative model would need to meet tenants’ needs, align with our charitable purpose and demonstrate that it could be financially and operationally sustainable.

The changes to service provision will have implications for staffing across the developments.

The scale and impact of any workforce changes have not yet been determined. These will be considered through a formal employee consultation process before any decisions about individual staffing arrangements are made.

We heard clearly at the Comrie community meeting how much people value the social connections, sense of community and opportunities for interaction that the sheltered and Very Sheltered Housing services provide. This was also strongly reflected in our tenant consultation.

The Board considered this social and community value alongside the wider evidence gathered through the review. As a social housing landlord, Caledonia’s primary responsibility is to our tenants and to consider the impact of decisions on their homes, services and wellbeing, while also ensuring that the services we provide are affordable and financially sustainable.

We recognise the importance of maintaining social connections and a sense of community for tenants. As discussions and plans develop, this will continue to be an important consideration.

We heard concerns about the timing of communication and consultation, including the notice provided for meetings and opportunities for families and the wider community to engage.

We also heard that some of the information provided was complex and that housing terminology and jargon made it more difficult to understand.

We will take this feedback into account when planning future engagement, including providing clearer, more accessible information and appropriate opportunities for people to ask questions and share their views.

Our priority is to support tenants through the transition and ensure they understand what the changes mean for them.

We are meeting with tenants and will continue to provide opportunities for tenants, families and representatives to ask questions and discuss any concerns.

Over the coming months, we will review individual support needs and work with tenants and relevant partners to ensure appropriate arrangements are in place before changes are introduced.

For Canal Street, Corrie Place, Tay Place and Almond Place, the new service models are expected to begin from April 2027.

For Cameron Court, there will be no immediate change. The closure will be carefully managed through a person-centred approach, with tenants supported individually as plans progress.

We are committed to keeping tenants informed throughout the implementation process. We will communicate directly with affected tenants through letters, meetings and individual discussions and will continue to update this page as plans develop.

If you have any questions about the review, you can:

• Speak to a member of staff at your scheme
• Contact Customer Solutions by telephone on:  0800 678 228 or by emailing info@caledoniaha.co.uk