News

Orkney has finally been crowned the UK’s best place to live, following the past two years as runner up. The archipelago, famed for its spectacular landscapes and archaeological treasures,  sealed the top spot in the 2019 Bank of Scotland Quality of Life Survey based on Orcadians’ hi

New analysis which reveals that around 7,000 fewer homes a year are being built in Scotland than needed shows need for a long-term focus on increasing the supply of new build affordable housing, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA) has said. The study, released by BBC Scotland, fou

One homeless person is dying while sleeping rough in Glasgow every month, a charity has revealed. The manager of The Lodging House Mission, which hosts the Glasgow Winter Night Shelter, said the popularity of drugs such as valium and opiates could be a contributing factor for the rising number of de

The Existing Homes Alliance Scotland (ExHAS) held an exhibition in Parliament this week to highlight the issues of energy efficiency and fuel poverty. The exhibition, sponsored by Graham Simpson MSP, attracted interest from MSPs across all political groups with many pledging to support warm homes fo

A new initiative which will see the City of Edinburgh Council buy tenement flats from owners and rent them back to ensure essential repairs are carried out are to be progressed. Under the proposals, the local authority would offer to purchase the former council properties, with their owners’ c

Revised proposals for a mixed-used transformation of Edinburgh’s Leith Walk complete with affordable housing and student accommodation have been recommended for approval by City of Edinburgh Council planners. Drum Property Group plans to demolish the two-storey red sandstone shop frontages and

A range of measures to get Moray Council closer to balancing its budget for 2019/20 were debated by councillors this week. The measures, which are expected to lead to a reduction of over 110 posts across a range of services, include shutting two swimming pools, some libraries and public toilets.

The average weekly rent charged by Highland Council to its 13,411 council house tenants is set to increase by 3% for the coming financial year 2019/20. The average weekly rent will rise from £73.22 to £75.42 - an increase of £2.20 per week.

An event to gather support for establishing regular sporting clubs which aim to tackle dementia, depression and loneliness has been held in North Glasgow. ng homes and Sporting Memories Foundation came together to hold the open day event in Saracen House, Possilpark last week.

Elderpark Housing held a hugely-successful Burns Supper last night which brought the community together to celebrate the Bard. It was the seventh year Elderpark laid on the supper for its tenants who described the occasion as “magnificent”.

Glasgow City Council has appointed Professor Brian Evans as its first City Urbanist to enhance the city’s approach to place-making and connectivity. A professor in urbanism and landscape at The Glasgow School of Art's Mackintosh School of Architecture, and one of the UK's leading urbanists, th

The Nationwide Foundation is inviting proposals to undertake qualitative research and quantitative analysis of the impact on tenants and landlords of changes to the Scottish private rented sector tenancy regime. The study has a particular focus on the recent introduction of the Private Residential T

More than half of Scottish households have been plunged into fuel poverty as a result of crippling energy prices with people going to astonishing lengths in order to keep warm, new research has revealed. A survey carried out by Hillcrest Housing Association, which was open to the general public and

Housing minister Kevin Stewart has visited the first homes to be delivered as part of a new housing partnership between the City of Edinburgh Council and the Scottish Futures Trust. Around 1,500 new affordable homes will be delivered through the Edinburgh Living initiative over the next five years w

Scotland’s largest student organisation has joined with Scotland’s only tenants’ union to demand a ‘winter break’ to forced evictions. The Living Rent tenants’ union has been backed by NUS Scotland in the call to prevent winter deaths on Scotland’s streets.