News

New powers are to be introduced to enable local authorities to take action against private landlords who do not maintain homes to proper living standards. From April, provisions enacted in the Housing (Scotland) Act will give councils a right of entry to the privately rented homes as well as the abi

Alex Neil Social justice secretary Alex Neil has called for “urgent clarification” from the UK government around the proposal to restrict housing benefit for tenants in supported and women’s aid refuge accommodation.

Scottish Borders Council has estimated that 130 posts may be reduced as part of making efficiencies in the coming financial year, though it has ensured that this will not result in the loss of any staff. As the local authority prepares to outline its budget proposals for 2016/17, council leader Dav

By Scottish Empty Homes Partnership national manager Kristen Hubert (Last week) we released our recommendations about what financial incentive programmes we think are needed to unlock more of Scotland’s 27,000+ long term private sector empty homes.

Andrew Burns The City of Edinburgh Council is on target to meet its planned savings of £49 million for the current financial year after making “considerable progress” in addressing its financial challenges.

Bill Banks, chief executive at Kingdom Housing Association; Allan Cairns; Moray Glennie, senior development officer at Kingdom Housing Association; Joanne Aitken, development worker at Fife Works; Archie Sprunt and Jim Murphy, MD Abbotshall Homes A local man's 10 year search for a job has ended with

Melville Housing Association has donated £1,000 to the Sick Kids Friends Foundation, thanks to a competition organised by boiler specialists Vaillant Group UK Ltd. The Sick Kids Friends Foundation has been Melville’s chosen charity for the past 12 months, with staff organising a number of events,

Jean Swinton Tenants and volunteers at a retirement housing development in Edinburgh have chipped in and grown their first crop of potatoes for everyone to dig in to.

Annie with Charlie and Linda from Thenue Thenue Housing has said a very happy birthday to its oldest tenant – 100 year old Annie Crozier.

Mike Dailly The Scottish Government has been accused of failing Scotland’s private sector tenants with its response the Scottish Parliament’s infrastructure and capital investment committee report on the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill.

The Highland Council has begun work on the £2.9 million development of Tweeddale in Fort William town centre. The local authority has taken possession of the key site, which has lain empty for a long period, to provide 22 housing flats for council rent. The housing development is due for completion

A major move towards the transformation of the Abbey quarter of Arbroath has been revealed this week. Over the next few weeks, demolition contractor Safedem will continue to raze the four blocks of empty council flats at Guthrie Hill and Smithy Croft.

Care inspectors have given Scotland’s biggest social landlord a glowing report for its sheltered housing service. GHA was praised by the Care Inspectorate for performing at a ‘very good level with areas of excellent practice’.

New research has suggested that two fifths (40 per cent) of Scottish non-homeowners do not believe they will ever be able to buy their own house. Bank of Scotland’s latest How Scotland Lives research has found that just over a quarter (26 per cent) believe this to be a normal situation to be in, w

Alison McDiarmid YourPlace factoring services director Alison McDiarmid has been elected as President of the Property Managers Association Scotland (PMAS).