Latest news with #Housing(Scotland)Bill
Scotsman
a day ago
- Business
- Scotsman
Investors need certainty to build the homes Scotland needs
We must unlock the investment that would deliver new housing, says Colin Brown Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... In May 2024, the Scottish Parliament declared a national 'housing emergency' with some councils also declaring a housing emergency in their areas. The announcement of the emergency came two months after the Scottish Government laid the Housing (Scotland) Bill before the Scottish Parliament. The Bill continues to work its way through Holyrood and is expected to come into force later this year. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Observers in the world of institutional investment and those working in the sector have been watching the progress of the Bill with interest. Of particular concern to investors are proposals around rent controls. Colin Brown is a Partner at TLT To give one example that has occurred recently – a London-based investment firm, was about to commit many millions of pounds to its first Scottish investment before discovering that a committee considering the Bill had voted to include purpose-built student accommodation as subject to statutory rent controls. All of the financial appraisals the firm had undertaken in making the decision to invest in Scotland were potentially being ripped up by MSPs and they had no power to do anything about this. In this situation, the Scottish Government moved quickly to make clear it would not support rent control for purpose-built student accommodation. Whilst the project is now starting to come out of the ground it remains to be seen whether they consider Scotland a safe haven for future investment. The rental income which institutional investors derive from their investments in bricks and mortar helps to fund many individuals' pensions. The investors need to understand that in exchange for making their money available they will get a return on their investment and this return has generally been left to market forces – the law of supply and demand. The housing emergency should make investment in new build housing in Scotland a win-win. The country gets much-needed new housing to alleviate the emergency, and the investment funds get to deploy their capital to deliver housing and make a return on their investment. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad In the UK in the first quarter of this year £1.2 billion was invested in private rental accommodation with the potential for £6bn to be invested by the end of the year. 76 per cent of this investment is being directed outside London, with Manchester, Birmingham, and Leeds leading the way. Every penny of this investment creates new housing and sustains and creates job opportunities. The fact that Scotland has not been able to open the investment tap when cities in England are seeing private rental accommodation expand, could be seen as a missed opportunity. In launching the latest consultation, the Social Justice Secretary acknowledges that rental properties are a crucial element of the efforts to tackle the housing emergency. Government policy has slowed investment into the sector in recent years and resulted in lower investor confidence in providing much-needed housing. Rent caps and controls are of course not universally despised and a balance must be struck between protecting tenants and unlocking the investment that delivers the new housing. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The latest consultation on exemptions for certain types of properties from rent control closed earlier this month. There will be investors with capital looking for a home waiting to see if the legislative and political environment in Scotland means they should be deploying more of this in Scotland or continuing to explore opportunities which guarantee a better return elsewhere.
The Herald Scotland
3 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Number of new homes being built in key sector ‘in decline'
The latest analysis from the Scottish Property Federation (SPF) and Savills has shown a continued decline in the number of units under construction in the second quarter of this year 2025 when compared to the same period last year. This takes the total number for build-to-rent homes under construction down to 2,101 from the prior year's figure of 2,472 homes. However, there was a 16 per cent increase of new developments being finished in the second quarter of 2025 compared to 2024. READ MORE: The SPF said that 'while this is a welcome increase, this further highlights the real challenge the Scottish sector continues to face is one of pipeline exhaustion'. The SPF in its submission to the Housing (Scotland) Bill consultation on how powers within the Bill could be used to exempt certain types of properties from rent control, is urging that the built-to-rent sector be issued with blanket exemption. David Melhuish, director of the Scottish Property Federation, said: "The continued decline in the number of BtR schemes starting on site, reflect that persistent policy uncertainty, especially around rent controls, continues to have a damaging impact upon investor confidence in Scottish BtR. "On this trajectory Scotland will soon exhaust the pipeline of new BtR developments, as completions continue to exceed commencements. "To restore investor confidence and to kick start new supply of rental homes, we are calling as part of our response to the Scottish Government's recent housing consultation, for built to rent/mid-market rent to be granted an exemption from rent controls across Scotland." Barbara Welsh, chair of Living Rent, the tenants' union said that "building expensive build-to-rent properties will not solve the housing crisis", adding: "These properties are completely beyond the reach of most tenants. "Building more build-to-rent properties will do nothing for tenants unable to pay their rent, the thousands stuck in temporary accommodation or those left waiting on social housing waiting lists. "Build-to-rent developers are not struggling. As they point out, there has been a boom in build-to-rent in recent years and the Housing Bill already allows for landlords to make above inflation profits year on year."
Scotsman
30-06-2025
- Business
- Scotsman
Investors have ‘insatiable appetite' for Edinburgh hotels but other sectors mixed
'In a volatile world, commercial property remains an attractive option for investors' – Alasdair Steele, Knight Frank Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Hotels have emerged as Scotland's top performing area of property investment as the overall market 'pauses for thought' amid geopolitical tensions and a changing policy backdrop, according to new research. Knight Frank's latest study reveals that Scotland's commercial property market attracted some £750 million of investment in the first half of 2025. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The total is down by a fifth on the £925m average for the previous five years, but broadly in line with the trend seen across the UK. That figure includes a particularly strong year in 2022, which if discounted, produces an average of £769m, much closer to the 2025 first-half result. The recent sale of the W Hotel at Edinburgh's St James Quarter was hailed as a landmark transaction. Picture: Jane Barlow The commercial property consultancy's analysis is based on data from Real Capital Analytics (RCA). Hotels were found to be the top-performing asset class, with £213m of investment. That was the second highest figure for the sector during the first six months of the year since 2020, behind only 2024's £235m. Retail was second with £207m-worth of transactions, followed by offices at £152m. Private investors were the most active buyers during the first half of the year, accounting for 40 per cent of investment - the highest share for the six-month period in recent years. International investors were second with 32 per cent of the total. Institutions accounted for 19 per cent, while real estate investment trusts (REITs), listed property companies and occupiers made up the remaining 9 per cent. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Alasdair Steele, head of Scotland commercial at Knight Frank, said 'a lot had happened' in the first six months of 2025, both internationally and closer to home. The St Enoch Shopping Centre in Glasgow also changed hands in a property investment deal. 'The changing geopolitical backdrop has given overseas investors pause for thought,' he noted, 'while the Housing (Scotland) Bill's journey through the Scottish Parliament will be a big influence on appetite for deals in areas like build-to-rent and student accommodation.' 'Nonetheless, Scotland has shown an encouraging level of resilience, with investment holding up well despite the level of uncertainty. That is partly a reflection of the deeper buyer pool, with private investors active while other groups have been quieter than usual. 'At the same time, hotels are emerging as the standout property type, supported by a seemingly insatiable appetite for Edinburgh, in particular,' Steele added. 'With more hotel stock coming online in the city over the next year or so, we could see the strong levels of investment in the sector continue. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'All things being equal, we expect to see a pick up in deal activity during the second half of the year. In a volatile world, commercial property remains an attractive option for investors - and Scotland remains good value within the UK, which itself is widely seen as a safe haven from an international perspective.' The Knight Frank report coincides with new research from Lismore Real Estate Advisors and its latest review of the Scottish investment market, covering the second quarter of 2025. The firm said transaction volumes between April and June appeared 'relatively healthy' at £296m, representing an increase of 9 per cent, compared to the same period last year. However, it noted that two transactions accounted for 48 per cent of total market activity in the latest quarter, with volumes 21 per cent below the five-year average - broadly in line with Knight Frank's findings for the first half. Stripping out landmark transactions, such as Nuveen's £100m sale of the W Hotel at Edinburgh's St James Quarter to Schroders, and Sovereign Centros' £54.4m disposal of St Enoch Shopping Centre in Glasgow to Praxis, total investment volumes were actually down on the same period last year, underlining what has been another 'muted' quarter for the market, Lismore added. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Chrissie Clancy, an investment surveyor at the property advisor, said Edinburgh's hotel market was continuing to 'outperform', buoyed by strong tourism and business travel. The city's high occupancy and double-digit growth in revenues per available room, or RevPAR, a key industry measure, are said to be driving investor appetite for 'increasingly scarce redevelopment opportunities'. Clancy added: 'The high street retail sector is also regaining momentum. Elsewhere, the market is showing early signs of renewed activity, with Glasgow offices seeing increased interest and several deals under offer.' Lismore said that in a landscape defined by 'economic uncertainty and shifting investor sentiment', consistency had become a 'prized commodity' with Scotland's logistics sector highlighted as a standout example. It noted that logistics has emerged as a 'rare constant', driven by strong occupational demand, critically low supply and renewed investor appetite. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Logistics The firm's quarterly investor research indicates that sentiment towards Scotland's logistics sector remains broadly optimistic. More than half of respondents (56 per cent) expect to be net buyers in the second half of 2025, with just 10 per cent anticipating they will be net sellers. Valentine Beresford, investment director at LondonMetric, said: 'Logistics continues to be our preferred sector, driven by strong demand and chronic supply constraints. While rising debt costs and limited stock present challenges, they're market-wide, not sector-specific. The biggest issue now is the lack of investable opportunities, with strong competition when assets do come to market.'
Scotsman
09-06-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Paws in the door: Dogs Trust backs pet-friendly proposals – but says 'more must be done'
Dogs Trust, the UK's largest dog welfare charity, believes the Housing (Scotland) Bill is a step in the right direction for renters with pets. However, the charity is urging the Scottish Government to go further to ensure people with dogs are properly supported in the rental market. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Currently, many renters across Scotland face significant barriers when trying to secure pet-friendly accommodation. Alarmingly, around 15% of handover enquiries received by Dogs Trust cite accommodation issues as the reason for needing to rehome their dog. Dogs Trust, which rehomed more than 600 dogs across Scotland last year, has welcomed the inclusion of pet-friendly provisions in the Bill, which completed Stage 2 in the Scottish Parliament last week. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Crucially, this will give tenants in both the private and social rented sectors the right to request to keep a pet in their property without fear of the request being unreasonably refused by their landlord or housing provider. The Bill also includes a time limit within which a landlord must respond to a tenant's request to keep a pet. Dogs Trust Backs Pet-Friendly Proposals to the Housing (Scotland) Bill but says "more must be done" The charity is particularly pleased that the Scottish legislation has gone further in extending these rights to those in social housing than the Renters' Rights Bill – which is currently progressing through Westminster. However, Dogs Trust believes stronger protections and clear guidance are needed to ensure no one has to choose between a place to live and their much-loved pet. Dogs Trust is now calling on dog owners and supporters across Scotland to write to their MSPs asking them to support amendments to the Bill that will better safeguard the rights of renters with pets. These amendments include: A reduction in the number of days in which a landlord should respond to a tenant's request to keep a pet. A protection that if a landlord fails to respond to a tenant's request to keep a pet within the response period, it can be treated as unreasonable refusal, which would allow a tenant to make an appeal. The inclusion of pet ownership as a provision under a written tenancy agreement once consent to keep a pet has been granted. To write to your MSP, visit: Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Owen Sharp, Chief Executive of Dogs Trust, says: "The Housing (Scotland) Bill is a huge step forward in addressing the need for greater availability of pet-friendly accommodation in Scotland. Sadly, the struggle to find suitable accommodation is still very real for many dog owners. Too often, people face the heartbreaking decision to give up their beloved pet simply because they can't find a home that allows dogs. 'We hope MSPs will support amendments to strengthen the Bill and that once passed, the Bill will mark the start of a culture shift in attitudes towards renting with pets, meaning no one is denied the joys of dog ownership simply because they rent a home.' Dogs Trust has also welcomed the decision by the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee that guidance must be developed alongside the Bill and hopes that this will provide greater clarity for tenants and landlords around definitions in the Bill. This includes what is 'reasonable' grounds for a landlord to deny a tenant's request to keep a pet and what are 'reasonable' conditions for a tenant to be able to keep a pet.
Scotsman
05-06-2025
- Health
- Scotsman
Damp & Mould Action and Awareness Week to return for second year
The UK's first ever Damp & Mould Action and Awareness Week is returning for a second year - promising even more resources, expert insights, and practical solutions to combat one of the most pressing housing and health crises. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Following the overwhelming success of its inaugural year, it will return from October 20-26, continuing its mission to tackle the widespread issue of damp and mould in homes across the UK. This year's campaign comes at a crucial time, as landmark reforms are set to compel landlords to fix dangerous homes or face the full consequences of the law. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Awaab's Law, coming into effect from October, will require social landlords to investigate and remedy damp and mould issues within strict timeframes. Landlords who fail to comply will be held accountable in court, ensuring social tenants have the legal power to demand safe and healthy living conditions. Tony Boyle, Regional Director at Aico The law, a legacy of two-year-old Awaab Ishak, who tragically died after being exposed to mould in his Rochdale home, is a vital step toward transforming the safety and quality of social housing in the UK. Social housing residents in Scotland will also be given greater protection against damp and mould in their homes through the introduction of Awaab's Law. The Scottish Government intends to introduce amendments to the Housing (Scotland) Bill that will broaden Ministers' powers to impose timeframes on social landlords to investigate disrepair and start repairs, through regulation, following engagement with the sector. Launched by home life safety specialists Aico, the first-ever Damp & Mould Action and Awareness Week was dedicated to ending the scourge of damp and mould, and received widespread backing from MPs, landlords, housing professionals, and lobbying groups - earning recognition at the highest levels, including a commendation from the King. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad With an estimated seven million UK households affected by damp and mould, and the issue costing the NHS over £2.5 billion every year, the campaign has become a vital platform for raising awareness and driving action. Last year's campaign saw over 600 participants join expert-led webinars, with media coverage reaching more than three million people across press, radio and TV. It also received the backing of renowned architectural expert Professor Timothy Sharpe from the University of Strathclyde, a member of the government's SAGE advisory group during the COVID-19 pandemic, who specialises in indoor ventilation and transmission, as well as lobbying groups like Healthy Homes Hub and housing groups. As the campaign gears up for its second year, organisers are determined to build on its momentum, with an even greater focus on practical solutions, industry collaboration, and empowering residents with knowledge and resources. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Tony Boyle, Regional Director at Aico, said: 'The response to the first Damp & Mould Action and Awareness Week was fantastic, with huge engagement from housing associations, tenants and policymakers. 'But that was just the beginning. This year, we're aiming to reach even more people, spark more action, and continue making progress towards healthier homes for all. 'With the introduction of Awaab's Law, there will now be a legal mandate to tackle damp and mould with urgency. We want to ensure landlords, tenants and housing professionals have the resources they need to understand their responsibilities and take meaningful action.' Damp and mould produce allergens, irritants, mould spores, and other toxins that are harmful to health. The NHS spends an estimated £1.4 billion a year on treating illnesses associated with living in cold or damp housing. When wider societal costs such as ongoing healthcare are taken into consideration, the figure leaps to £15.4 billion. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'The scale of this issue is enormous, but by working together, we can make a real impact. 'We want to see policy changes, investment in housing standards, and a shift in how damp and mould are tackled at every level,' Tony added. For more information and updates, visit
