Let’s talk about something that’s causing a lot of unnecessary stress in our lives right now: in-person sign-up policies for housing. Specifically, the one we’ve encountered with Riverclyde Homes.
You see, we’ve been bidding on properties with Riverclyde Homes in the hopes of finding a new place that’s more suitable for our needs. Sounds simple enough, right? But when we got offered a property, we were told that we needed to sign the tenancy agreement in person. No problem, right? Except that they insisted on a wet signature that had to be witnessed in person. That’s right, despite the fact that in the age of technology, secure remote signing options exist, we were told there was no exception to the “in person only” rule.
And here’s where things take a turn for the worse. The whole in-person signature policy isn’t just inconvenient – it’s unrealistic for people like us. I have autism (diagnosed), and my partner may have it too (still undiagnosed). Both of us find traveling long distances incredibly challenging, to say the least. The stress and anxiety caused by such a journey isn’t something that’s easy to overcome. It’s overwhelming, exhausting, and really messes with our mental health.
We were given a window of time to sign for the property in person—10am to 1pm. Fine, except getting there involves a 12-15 hour bus ride one way. Not exactly the kind of trip you want to make, and that’s before even considering the cost. We don’t have the finances for hotel stays, and unfortunately, my family won’t help us get there. In fact, they’ve absolutely refused to let us stay with them, knowing full well the difficulties we face. So we’re left with no choice but to either decline the property or face an incredibly difficult and costly journey.
Now, here’s the kicker: while Riverclyde Homes insists that wet signatures must be witnessed in person, other housing providers (and many businesses) are using secure, easy-to-verify methods for remote signing. In fact, signing remotely could actually save both time and money for everyone involved. But for some reason, Riverclyde Homes refuses to budge on this, leaving us in an impossible situation.
What’s even more frustrating is that their insistence on in-person signing actually ends up discriminating against people like us—those with disabilities or people on low incomes who may not have the means to travel such long distances. If they offered remote sign-ups, we wouldn’t have to worry about all this unnecessary travel. It would make the entire process far less stressful and more accessible.
But the kicker? Our current social landlord actually uses a key safe for access to our current property. It’s not like the technology isn’t available, it’s just that Riverclyde Homes hasn’t embraced it. The fact that our current landlord has made things more accessible by allowing us to use a key safe shows that remote solutions can work and should be the future. Why not implement something similar for signing, where we could simply be given a code to a key safe to collect the keys and sign remotely for the tenancy? That would save time, stress, and unnecessary expense.
At this point, we’ve had to decline the property due to the immense strain this policy would place on our mental health and finances. We’ve made it clear that the requirement to sign in person is simply unfeasible for us and may even be a violation of our rights under the Equality Act 2010. We are considering seeking legal advice on the matter, as policies like this seem not only outdated but discriminatory towards people with disabilities.
Furthermore, it’s worth noting that under Scottish law, witnesses are not required for signing a Scottish Secure Tenancy. So this whole insistence on a witnessed wet signature seems not only excessive but also unnecessary from a legal standpoint.
This whole experience has just left me drained and really frustrated. The stress and energy we’ve spent trying to navigate a system that feels so inaccessible is exhausting. We’re not asking for the world, just some common sense and consideration for those who struggle with mobility and mental health issues. It’s disheartening when such small changes could make such a big difference.
This isn’t just about us – it’s about the bigger picture. There are better, more inclusive ways to handle housing sign-ups, and it’s high time that housing authorities like Riverclyde Homes update their policies to reflect modern realities and embrace accessible solutions.
We sincerely hope they reconsider this outdated and draconian policy so that others won’t have to face the same challenges we did. After all, the point of housing is to give people a safe and comfortable space—not to create unnecessary barriers that make it harder to get there.
Disclaimer: This post reflects our personal experiences and views. We are advocating for more inclusive and accessible housing policies for individuals with disabilities.
Hashtags: #Accessibility #EqualityAct #DisabilityRights #HousingPolicy #InclusiveHousing #RemoteSigning