The Scottish Government wants the public to think it's taking the housing emergency seriously. Its latest legislation does contain some welcome improvements to the country's overheating private rental sector.
Councils will be told to carry out assessments of the rental market in their areas. In turn, they could call for rent controls in neighbourhoods where landlords are most openly profiteering due to demand for housing outstripping supply.
It sounds a fine idea but there is no guarantee such a proposal will ever actually be implemented. Any attempt to introduce rent controls – although they do exist already in several European countries – is likely to prompt a legal challenge from landlords. In short, it could take years before such a scheme actually takes effect.
But Scots are struggling to find affordable accommodation here and now. The most simple solution to a housing crisis is to build more homes where they are most needed. To ensure those new homes don’t just fall into the hands of private landlords, a significant proportion should be built by housing associations or local authorities.
But as we learned this week, the number of new housing association properties under construction in Scotland has fallen to a 35-year low. Housing charities have cautiously welcomed the government’s new housing Bill.
They are right, however, to point out it simply doesn’t go far enough. Tinkering around the edges won’t help struggling Scots. Building more affordable homes will.
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Scotland prides itself on its beautiful waters. Our abundant rivers, lochs and seas are also stunning areas of natural beauty. That's why it's deeply concerning that sewage is getting pumped into our waterways at record rates – with more than 21,000 "overflow incidents" in 2023.
Dumping sewage like this is supposed to be a last resort at times of unusually heavy rain – but it's become alarmingly commonplace. There can't be many Scots who would prefer England's privatised water network, where sewage dumping has long been at horrific levels.
But questions need to be asked about whether Scotland’s own sewer system is fit for purpose, given we know it’s coming under increasing pressure.
If it's not up to the job, Scottish Water needs to be held accountable for that – especially given they're hiking up our water bills. Scotland's waterways are a priceless resource – they must not become a dumping ground for manky sewage.
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Housing emergency could take Scot Gov years to sort but action is needed now
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28.03.2024
The Scottish Government wants the public to think it's taking the housing emergency seriously. Its latest legislation does contain some welcome improvements to the country's overheating private rental sector.
Councils will be told to carry out assessments of the rental market in their areas. In turn, they could call for rent controls in neighbourhoods where landlords are most openly profiteering due to demand for housing outstripping supply.
It sounds a fine idea but there is no guarantee such a proposal will ever actually be implemented. Any attempt to introduce rent controls – although they do exist already in several European countries – is likely to prompt a legal challenge from landlords. In short, it could take years before such a scheme actually takes effect.
But Scots are struggling to find affordable accommodation here and........
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