Best Kieran Findlay Podcasts (2025)

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75 - Scottish Housing Day: Celebrating good neighbours with Callum Chomczuk and Jamie Ballantine 40:29

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4h ago40:29

40:29

In this episode of the Scottish Housing News Podcast, Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black discuss the theme of 'Everybody Needs Good Neighbours' for Scottish Housing Day. They explore the importance of community and neighbourliness, the role of housing associations in fostering social connections, and the challenges of social isolation. Guests Callum Ch…

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74 - Tenancy sustainment with Maureen Knight and Pamela Forrest 40:17

5d ago40:17

40:17

In this episode, Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black discuss the pressing issue of homelessness with Maureen Knight from Albyn Housing Society and Pamela Forrest from Riverside Scotland. They explore innovative strategies to prevent homelessness, focusing on proactive tenancy sustainment and the Housing First for Families initiative. The conversation hi…

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73 - ‘What’s Next For Adaptations?’ with Professor Vikki McCall and Susie Fitton 43:03

1M ago43:03

43:03

Join hosts Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black as they delve into the complexities of housing adaptations in Scotland. Featuring insights from Professor Vikki McCall from the University of Stirling and SFHA policy manager Susie Fitton, this episode explores the challenges and opportunities in adapting homes for an ageing population. Discover findings fr…

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72 - Cohousing and the Orkney pathfinder with Tom Morton and Jenny Rambridge 35:33

1M ago35:33

35:33

Host Kieran Findlay delves into the world of cohousing with guests Tom Morton, convener of Cohousing Scotland, and Jenny Rambridge, a founding member of Hope Cohousing. Discover how cohousing fosters supportive communities, addresses housing challenges, and promotes sustainability, but also hear about the challenges and barriers in implementing the…

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71 - Damp, mould and tenant behaviour with Kerry Brown and Patrick McRedmond 37:32

3M ago37:32

37:32

For this episode of the Scottish Housing News Podcast, Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black discuss the pressing issues of damp and mould in housing, focusing on the new Awaab’s Law legislation that mandates social landlords to address health hazards within strict timelines. Kerry Brown, co-founder and director of Alator Data Services, and Patrick McRedm…

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70 - How to retrofit a tenement with Josiah Lockhart, Mike Heffron, and Chris Carus 48:53

4M ago48:53

48:53

In this episode of the Scottish Housing News podcast, hosts Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black discuss the complexities of retrofitting tenement buildings in Scotland with experts Josiah Lockhart, Mike Heffron, and Chris Carus. They explore the unique challenges posed by the ownership structures of tenements, the barriers to decarbonisation, and the im…

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69 - A conversation with Professor Duncan Maclennan 46:32

4M ago46:32

46:32

In this episode of the Scottish Housing News Podcast, Professor Duncan McLennan discusses the complexities of the Scottish housing system, addressing the notion of a housing emergency, the implications of the right to buy policy, and the urgent need for increased social housing. Speaking with hosts Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black, he emphasises the …

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68 - Amendments to the Housing Bill with Susie Fitton, John Mills and Maeve McGoldrick 40:10

5M ago40:10

40:10

In this episode of the Scottish Housing News Podcast, the discussion revolves around the proposed amendments to the Housing Scotland Bill, particularly focusing on homelessness prevention. The conversation features insights from Susie Fitton, policy manager at the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), Meave McGoldrick, head of policy …

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67 - The revised Heat in Buildings Bill with Gillian Campbell and Ashley Campbell 32:22

5M ago32:22

32:22

Gillian Campbell, director of the Existing Homes Alliance, and CIH Scotland's policy and practice manager, Ashley Campbell, join Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black to discuss the Scottish Government's newly revised Heat in Buildings Bill. They explore the Bill's key provisions, its impact on industry, the challenges it faces, and the importance of bala…

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#71 Tarig’s jazz back catalogue (Whiplash) 2:40:12

6M ago2:40:12

2:40:12

There's a round-up of Beast Games, Traitors and Squid Game to kick off the episode before some recommendations and a deep dive into Whiplash. In this episode we discuss… Rivals Companion Kneecap https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/krustysnipple Theme music: Turtleneck by TrackTribe

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66 - Martin Wilkie-McFarlane on Wellhouse, regulatory intervention and more 30:55

6M ago30:55

30:55

Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black catch up with Martin Wilkie McFarlane, who shares insights from his experience with Wellhouse Housing Association during a critical period of regulatory intervention. The conversation explores the challenges faced by Wellhouse, the impact of regulatory actions, and the broader implications for the housing sector in Sc…

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65 - Rural housing: Public land acquisition and the Right to Live with Hamish Trench and Ailsa Raeburn 35:25

7M ago35:25

35:25

“Compulsory purchase reform is absolutely critical because we do need a backstop if landowners aren't prepared to come to the table on reasonable terms.” In this episode, Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black speak to two guests who have new proposals to help adequately house people living in rural areas. Hamish Trench is the chief executive and accountab…

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64 - The Prospecthill Court Retrofit Project with Richard Turnock, Duncan Smith and Ryan Ferrier 31:18

9M ago31:18

31:18

“We go into this project not looking for awards but it's good actually to recognise the contribution of our staff and it's also a good way for our suppliers and the other stakeholders in this to be recognised as well. So it's a win-win-win for customers, us and the contractors.” If you could cut your tenants’ heating bills by 80%, you would, wouldn…

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Quiz: Krusty vs The Universe 1:56:01

10M ago1:56:01

1:56:01

In a break from our usual format, Kieran hosts an inaugural quiz that pits Krusty's own Darren and Tarig against the rest of the universe - this time represented by Stealth and G. Listen to find out who will win and claim that important first point. We want this to be a regular thing so if you think you can take on Krusty, get in touch via our soci…

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#70 Billie Eilish fan boy (Pulp Fiction) 3:28:53

11M ago3:28:53

3:28:53

It has been a while so here’s a stupidly long episode to make up for our time away. Prepare for a bumper list of recommendations of what the boys have been enjoying over the last year and a deep dive into Tarantino’s classic Pulp Fiction. In this episode we discuss… The Warrior The Bikeriders Eric Extraction (2020) Slow Horses Aftersun End of Watch…

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63 - Accessible housing (part 4) with Simon Fitzpatrick 47:13

11M ago47:13

47:13

“If we can get 90% of it right, I'd be delighted if somebody else came up with the other 10% and built on that. That's the history of social housing, right? Standing on the shoulders of giants and keeping getting better and better and better. We're just part of that chain.” Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black wrap up their series on accessible housing w…

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62 - Accessible housing (part 3) with Jacquie Pepper and Elaine Ritchie 31:42

12M ago31:42

31:42

“Partnership work is about relationships, it's knowing people, it's understanding each of us have roles and responsibilities but keeping in mind what we're all trying to achieve at the end of the day and that's the outcomes for people that live in our communities to allow them to thrive and survive.” Continuing with their accessible housing series,…

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61 - Accessible housing (part 2) with Angela Currie 28:00

1y ago28:00

28:00

“If we don't grab and grab with both hands that prevention agenda, do more now, given we know what's coming our way from our demographics, then we are going to be in a much worse state than we are now in 10, 20 years time.” Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black continue their exploration of the current issues surrounding social care and accessible housing…

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60 - Accessible housing (part 1) with Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP 35:51

1y ago35:51

35:51

“You can't do all of the things that people take for granted if you can't get in and out of your house.” In the run-up to the Housing & Social Care Accessibility Summit in Dundee, Jimmy Black and Kieran Findlay discuss the practical housing issues often confronted by people with disabilities with the campaigning MSP Pam Duncan-Glancy. Pam, who repr…

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59 - The holistic approach to homelessness with Helen Murdoch and Janet Haugh 35:36

1y ago35:36

35:36

“We have a theory of change which demonstrates the changes we are hoping to see in people's lives that will ultimately help us achieve our vision of a world where everyone has an equal chance to create a safe and supportive place to call home.” Returning to the subject of homelessness, Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black speak to two charities that betw…

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58 - Communications during a crisis with Sally Thomas and Chris Fairbairn 42:52

1y ago42:52

42:52

“In crisis situations, don't try and save face in front of us. Tell us the warts and all. Tell us the reality of the situation here. If we're going in with one hand tied behind our back, then it isn't going to end well.” In this episode of the Scottish Housing News Podcast, Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black discuss the value of effective communication…

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57 - Housing Bill part 4: An interview with housing minister Paul McLennan 30:09

1+ y ago30:09

30:09

Jimmy Black and Kieran Findlay conclude their series on the Scottish Government’s new Housing Bill with an interview with the minister responsible for bringing the legislation through Parliament, housing minister Paul McLennan. The wide-ranging discussion centred on measures in the proposed legislation such as rent controls, homelessness and domest…

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56 - Housing Bill part 3: Domestic abuse with Michelle Meldrum, Eileen McMullan and Sophie Berry 38:42

1+ y ago38:42

38:42

Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black continue their look into the new Housing Bill with a look at the duties expected of social landlords regarding domestic abuse. Under the proposed legislation, social landlords will have to provide support to tenants experiencing rent arrears or risk of homelessness due to domestic abuse, and to publish a policy on how…

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55 - The Housing Bill part 2: Homelessness prevention duties with Ewan Aitken 26:32

1+ y ago26:32

26:32

Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black put the Holyrood turmoil to one side and continue their exploration of various elements of the Scottish Government’s new Housing Bill with a look at proposed new homelessness prevention measures. The legislation will introduce an ‘ask and act’ duty on social landlords and other bodies, such as health boards and the po…

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54 - Housing Bill part 1 Rent controls and tenants' rights with Dr John Boyle 28:45

1+ y ago28:45

28:45

With the long-awaited Housing Bill finally here, hosts Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black will dedicate the next four episodes to digest various elements of the legislation, including homelessness and domestic abuse, culminating in an interview with housing minister Paul McLennan. But we begin the series with a discussion on increased rights for privat…

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53 - Shawfair and clean heating networks with Eoghan Maguire 35:21

1+ y ago35:21

35:21

"Technically heat networks aren't really difficult. It is just large-scale plumbing. The heat's already there, we're just moving it.” With the Scottish Government’s New Build Heat Standard now in force, the installation of ‘direct emission’ systems for heating for new build homes and other buildings is now banned in Scotland. Effectively, this mean…

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52 - Why ‘fabric-first’ may be the wrong approach for retrofitting with Fionn Stevenson 48:53

1+ y ago48:53

48:53

“If we have a choice between a tenant having their home flooded or having to put on an extra jumper, which would you recommend?” For anyone who has encountered architect Fionn Stevenson over her career, her answer to this question will be obvious. It forms part of her claim that a blanket one-size-fits-all fabric-first approach to retrofitting shou…

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51 - Why it is important to declare a housing emergency with Cllr Jane Meagher and Cllr Allan Casey 41:42

1+ y ago41:42

41:42

Almost a year since Scotland appointed its first dedicated housing minister, three councils have declared housing emergencies due to mounting pressures in their local housing systems and dozens of others could be set to follow. Now housing bodies across Scotland are making a concerted effort to say that it's not just individual regions that are str…

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50 - The PRS rent adjudication scheme with Susan Aktemel and Calum Sanderson 43:51

1+ y ago43:51

43:51

With the Tenant Protection Bill’s in-tenancy rent cap and eviction measures due to expire in a matter of weeks, the Scottish Government has proposed an adjudication scheme to ease the transition until a long-awaited Housing Bill comes to pass. Under the proposals, the process for rent adjudication will temporarily be modified from April 1st for one…

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49 - Craig Stirrat 45:28

1+ y ago45:28

45:28

Fresh from being recognised by CIH Scotland with a Lifetime Achievement award for having gone the extra mile during his career, Grampian Housing Association chief executive Craig Stirrat joins Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black to talk about his 40 years in housing so far and the current challenges facing the housing sector. Hear Craig's views on housi…

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48 - Reidvale and the role of tenants in stock transfers with Paul Sweeney MSP and Lesley Baird 30:24

1+ y ago30:24

30:24

With Reidvale Housing Association currently considering its options after shareholders voted against a proposed transfer of engagements to Place for People Scotland, Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black reflect on some of the issues that have been raised so far. They spoke to Glasgow Labour MSP Paul Sweeney, who was a prominent part of the campaign again…

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The Bear (season 1 episodes 7-8) 1:23:53

2y ago1:23:53

1:23:53

The boys round up their deep dive into the first season of one of our favourite TV shows of recent years - The Bear. Kieran and Tarig, who are on their second and third watches of the series respectively, attempt to navigate a spoiler-free journey for Darren, who will be watching it for the first time and rating the series as he goes. In episode 7 …

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47 - Design for displacement with Laurence Wood 52:40

2y ago52:40

52:40

Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black step outside the Scottish social housing bubble to consider the impact of housing design in the aftermath of a disaster. Earlier this year, architect and University of Dundee lecturer Laurence Wood took a group of Year 5 Architecture students to Turkey, which had just suffered from a terrible earthquake, to live in ru…

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#69 I am not a deer (Calibre) 1:54:20

2y ago1:54:20

1:54:20

G joins the team as they review the 2018 Scottish thriller Calibre and finally get a chance to talk about THAT scene.We share thoughts on director Matt Palmer's various shorts before delving into his debut feature-length movie. Listen as the boys navigate the moral quandary posed by the characters' situation and find out Tarig’s major beef with the…

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46 - Alloa and town centre living with Steve Malone, Johnny Cadell and Grant Baxter 44:37

2y ago44:37

44:37

Kieran Findlay is joined by Steve Malone and Johnny Cadell, both principal architects at Architecture & Design Scotland, and Grant Baxter, the planning & building standards team leader at Clackmannanshire Council, to tell the story of a town centre development at Primrose Street in Alloa. Together they share their experiences of working to support …

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The Bear (season 1 episodes 4-6) 1:38:59

2y ago1:38:59

1:38:59

Join us as we continue our dive into one of our favourite TV shows of recent years - The Bear. Kieran and Tarig, who are on their second and third watches of the series respectively, attempt to navigate a spoiler-free journey for Darren, who will be watching it for the first time and rating the series as he goes. Will he improve on his 6/10 rating …

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45 - Scotland's Annual Homelessness Conference with Paul McLennan MSP, Maggie Brünjes, Martin Smith and Allan Jones 26:24

2y ago26:24

26:24

It is difficult to remember a time when global, UK and national events have aligned so acutely to heap even more pressure on Scotland's local housing systems. Committed professional sectors from across the housing, homelessness and refugee sectors gathered at Scotland's Annual Homelessness Conference on October 31st to unlock solutions to these unp…

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#68 Mac’s tears for Hank (Painkiller, Saw X, Seven Psychopaths and more…) 1:20:30

2y ago1:20:30

1:20:30

A new guest joins the boys for what turns out to be another bumper episode of recommendations. We find out if Kieran’s trip to the cinema to see Oppenheimer was worth it and debate the merits of dubbed versions of foreign language shows. In this episode we discuss… What to watch: Painkiller Saw X Adam Copeland and Christian Cage reunited Seven Psyc…

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44 - Young professionals with Nicola Dillon, Julie‑Ann Cloherty and Collette Anderson 31:19

2y ago31:19

31:19

Scottish Housing Day took place last month to celebrate careers across housing by showcasing the variety of roles and routes into the sector and making the case for housing to be recognised as an important and valued career. But it also served to raise awareness of the need to replace a largely ageing workforce and support the next generation of ho…

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The Bear (season 1 episodes 2-3) 1:30:38

2y ago1:30:38

1:30:38

Join us as we continue our dive into one of our favourite TV shows of recent years - The Bear. Kieran and Tarig, who are on their second and third watches of the series respectively, attempt to navigate a spoiler-free journey for Darren, who will be watching it for the first time and rating the series as he goes. Will he improve on his 4/10 rating …

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43 - Planning delays and NPF4 with Janice Russell and Cameron Greig 35:08

2y ago35:08

35:08

While financial pressures have undoubtedly played a huge part in a slowdown of new homes being delivered, there is a strong sense among housebuilders that the planning process is also having a detrimental impact. A recent survey published by our sister publication Scottish Construction Now found that the statutory timeframe for the turnaround of pl…

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#67 Send Emilio for the munchies (The Breakfast Club) 1:41:51

2y ago1:41:51

1:41:51

Our new series of movie reviews kicks off with John Hughes' coming-of-age classic The Breakfast Club. As usual, expect tons of useless bits of trivia like which movie was being filmed in the same school at the same time and which character was almost played by Nicolas Cage. Play along with the usual categories: Best scene, Worst scene, Favourite qu…

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42 - Is the Unsuitable Accommodation Order fit for purpose? with Cllr Jane Meagher and Sophie Berry 35:04

2y ago35:04

35:04

The 2014 Unsuitable Accommodation Order was introduced to effectively end stays in unsuitable accommodation for any homeless person for more than 7 days. However, with these laws being consistently broken by local authorities for a number fo reasons Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black ask whether the law is fit for purpose. We clarify the legislation ar…

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The Bear (season 1 episode 1) 1:02:40

2y ago1:02:40

1:02:40

Join us as we detour from the usual episodes to take a look at one of our favourite TV shows of recent years - The Bear. Championed by Tarig and Kieran in the past, The Bear is new to Darren who will be watching it for the first time and rating the series as he goes. If you haven't seen The Bear before, this podcast series works best if you watch t…

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41 - Care and technology with Dr Lynne Douglas and Gary Baillie 38:42

2y ago38:42

38:42

As housing and care providers continue to grapple with Scotland’s ageing population, some are embracing tech more than ever before. Earlier this year, Bield Housing and Care officially launched a digital hub in Linlithgow. Securing £75k in funding from the TAPPI project, it set about showcasing a variety of preventative care technologies that aim t…

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#66 Darren’s dungeon goggles (Recommendations special) 1:51:55

2y ago1:51:55

1:51:55

Season 4 kicks off with a round-up of what the boys have been watching over the summer. There’s a recommendation from a previous guest and a debate on whether No Hard Feelings should actually be something to avoid. Also, Darren recalls his recent trip to London, Kieran recalls a song that makes him throw something at the radio and Tarig recalls his…

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40 - Bringing Passivhaus homes to Drymen with Angela Currie and Janice McDonald 31:47

2y ago31:47

31:47

The story behind Hanover Scotland’s award-winning development in Drymen has many threads. Not just Hanover’s first certified Passivhaus development, it is located at the very site of its first ever development in Scotland as a separate entity. The project also touches on a number of issues such as community consultation, energy efficiency and the c…

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39 - Housing at Scotland’s Heart with Carolyn Lochhead 32:48

2y ago32:48

32:48

With its latest campaign, the SFHA is aiming to put Housing at the Heart of Scotland and keep it there. It looks to tell stories of the importance of social housing in Scotland and ensure social landlords are given the required support to continue this vital work. In this episode, Kieran Findlay and Jimmy Black talk to the SFHA’s director of extern…

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38 - A new framework for regulation with Michael Cameron and Helen Shaw 34:00

2y ago34:00

34:00

The current framework for regulating social landlords in Scotland was introduced in 2019. Since then, tragic incidents here in the UK and worldwide events have changed how RSLs are expected to operate, possibly forever. So in this episode, we’re asking whether the way RSLs are regulated should also be changed to reflect this. Ahead of unveiling a p…

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37 - Using data to create sustainable communities with Dan Blake and Daz Chauhan 35:08

2y ago35:08

35:08

After touching on the use of data in a previous episode regarding Fit Homes, the Scottish Housing News Podcast returns to the issue by further considering other ways in which data analysis is helping inform decision-making across all areas of social housing from creating sustainable communities to assessing the stock condition. To help with this, K…