Anne Johnstone has hit the nail on the head (The Herald, September 20) when she states unequivocally that second-stage transfer is the solution to Glasgow Housing Association's systemic problems, not just another issue which GHA has failed to grasp, as Communities Scotland now appear to believe.

Anne Johnstone has hit the nail on the head (The Herald, September 20) when she states unequivocally that second-stage transfer is the solution to Glasgow Housing Association's systemic problems, not just another issue which GHA has failed to grasp, as Communities Scotland now appear to believe.

The failings of Glasgow's housing department, which produced a £1bn debt, and a final stock value originally set at minus £380m, were never going to be addressed merely by changing the signboard on the front door. That is why the original proposal, the one supported by parliament, and endorsed by Glasgow's tenants in a democratic ballot, saw SST as a core element in tackling Glasgow's atrocious housing and, crucially, social conditions.

The regulation and inspection report on GHA's performance should come as no surprise, given the quite abysmal landlord performance of its predecessor organisation. The report catalogues systemic failures in all aspects of housing management, and very serious shortcomings in the organisation and management of its multi-million-pound refurbishment projects. What is truly surprising, however, is that such a woeful performance merits a satisfactory grading. I am quite sure other housing organisations graded "C" do not operate at this level. This would imply that the regulator, Communities Scotland, has been compromised in coming to its judgment about GHA's performance. The fact that the chair of GHA has her response to the report posted on the Communities Scotland website suggests there is a close relationship between these two organisations that is unhealthy.

The chief executive of Communities Scotland, who is ultimately responsible for the report, Angelina Foster, was previously the seconded CE of GHA. It was in that capacity that she registered GHA as a housing association. One of the requirements set as part of that registration was to ensure SST was delivered, and give a guarantee that this would have no additional financial repercussions for the then Scottish Executive. So for Communities Scotland - through the regulation process - to question the future of SST is quite outrageous, and steps well outwith its function as the regulator of social housing organisations.

With the Scottish Government currently considering the future of Communities Scotland, given the above evidence, now would be the opportune time to transfer the regulatory function of social housing providers to Audit Scotland, which is at truly arm's length from government and its policy-making ambitions.

In respect of where now for GHA, it is not appropriate for Communities Scotland to suggest that organisation has eight weeks to sort itself out. If it could not do so as the housing department, over 50 years, nor over the past five years as GHA, how on earth can it do it in eight weeks?

The critical issue from the perspective of the Scottish Government is whether SST can be delivered within the GHA envelope, or whether it will find itself exposed yet again for Glasgow's failings. The only credible and independent way to address this is to again engage the services of Audit Scotland.

My understanding is that GHA has a £175m contingency built into its business plan for SST, and since it has not drawn down any of its private lending facilities, why exactly the Scottish Government is paying it £50m is beyond me. The cash is there to deliver SST, but perhaps only a truly independent assessment of the finances will convince some of that.

SST is the only hope for Glasgow tenants, because to leave them in their current predicament, under such poorly performing organisation, would call into question the government's commitment to tacking Glasgow's serious housing and social problems. It would also break the all-party consensus that has existed on this issue over the past five years.

Dr Douglas S Robertson, Head of Applied Social Sciences, University of Stirling.

After four years of failure by the Glasgow Housing Association to meet its own timescales and targets for progressing the second-stage transfer (SST) programme to community ownership in Glasgow, the inspection report by Communities Scotland recommends that this unique housing agency be permitted to review its approach.

While the inspection report was being drafted between May and September 2007, 27 of the city's existing community-based housing associations (CBHAs) and two of the management-only registered social landlords/local housing organisations (RSL/LHOs) have submitted detailed business cases to GHA forming the basis to ballot tenants to take ownership of stock which they currently manage for GHA.

Your columnist, Anne Johnstone, among others, is calling for the intervention of Audit Scotland to resolve the financial issues in setting the price and conditions; these individual transfers will introduce real local accountability and service delivery by community-empowered landlords over fewer than 1000 homes in the majority of initiatives.

To avoid further frustration and delay, CBHAs would go further. The Scottish Parliament should approve legislation that will give communities the right to purchase the stock which is currently the subject of a management agreement approved by ministers under statutory order. The new Scottish Government should sponsor this legislation - which has a real prospect of gaining all-party support - as a matter of urgency.

GHA has made no progress on SST since its formation and Glasgow's communities will continue to be denied the benefits of local ownership - which has been afforded to a number of Scotland's rural communities - until this issue is resolved.

Lyn Ewing, Chair, Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations.