Tag: housing

Eviction Ban Extended

The temporary ban on eviction orders will be extended until the end of March, the Scottish Government announced yesterday.

Regulations will be laid in the Scottish Parliament on 14 January to extend the current ban, which is in place at present until 22 January. The extended ban – will apply to all evictions in areas subject to level 3 or 4 restrictions, except cases of serious anti-social behaviour, including domestic abuse. Subject to review every three weeks to ensure it remains necessary to protect against the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), it will remain in force until 31 March.

This will provide renters with safe homes during the pandemic. It will reduce the burden on local authorities, who have a duty to rehouse people made homeless through evictions, and will also make it easier for people to follow the guidelines during the current lockdown.

Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “Extending the temporary ban on the enforcement of eviction orders in the private and social rented sectors in areas subject to level 3 and 4 restrictions will support tenants, and offer people protection from transmission of the virus by being able to stay safe in their homes.

“It will also prevent additional burdens being placed on health and housing services during a time where they are already working hard due to the impact of the pandemic. This is a proportionate response to an extremely challenging set of circumstances.

“In the case of serious anti-social or criminal behaviour – including domestic abuse – eviction orders can still be enforced.

“We have been clear that no landlord should evict a tenant because they have suffered financial hardship due to the pandemic. Tenants in difficulty should engage with their landlord and seek advice on the options open to them.”

These apply to all eviction notices issued on, or after, 7 April 2020. The original end date was 30 September 2020. 

A number of actions have been taken to support tenants through the pandemic, including increasing the Discretionary Housing Fund from £11 million to £19 million to provide additional housing support and the introduction of the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund.

Read further information on tenants’ rights during the pandemic.

Edinburgh tenants could cash-in on share of six figure windfall

  • Edinburgh residents could be due share of £210,776
  • The capital city has the largest number of unclaimed deposits – with one worth £3,484
  • More than 1,000 long-standing tenancies in Scotland have an EH postcode
  • One city resident reunited with deposit seven months after moving, thanks to SafeDeposits Scotland

SafeDeposits Scotland has revealed that tenants in Edinburgh could be due a share of £210,776, after failing to claim back deposits at the end of their tenancies.

The Glasgow-based tenancy deposit scheme holds deposits on behalf of landlords and agents in line with government regulations designed to ensure responsible leasing. When a tenancy ends and all parties agree to repayment, the scheme will then release the funds back to the tenant.

Currently, the EH postcode has 700 unclaimed deposits with a combined value of £210,776, with one individual claim worth £3,484 – the highest in Scotland. In total across Scotland, there are 2,513 unclaimed deposits, amounting to £690,383.

One Edinburgh resident, Fraser Hamilton, was recently contacted by SafeDeposits Scotland about his unclaimed deposit after he left his property seven months ago.

Fraser said: “I moved out of my flat near Fountain Park just before lockdown and I completely forgot about the deposit. A part of me just assumed that my landlord would have my details and send it to me when it was ready. Between that and the moving process itself, it just slipped to the back of my mind.

“Obviously, this isn’t how the process works so when I received the call from SafeDeposits Scotland, it was great to hear I’d be getting this money back. It was as simple as sharing my bank details and soon enough, my deposit was back in my account. It’s a great boost, especially just before Christmas, and I’d urge anyone else moving to remember to claim their deposit back.”

In 2020 to date, SafeDeposits Scotland has tracked down 1,093 tenants across the country that had forgotten to claim their deposits back. The not-for-profit organisation has so far managed to return £416,887 from the scheme to these tenants this year.

Research carried out by SafeDeposits Scotland also looked at the quantity of deposits the scheme holds for longer-standing tenancies. The average tenure length for tenancies with deposits protected by SafeDeposits Scotland is just over 2.5 years, however the scheme found over 4,500 active deposit accounts for tenancies of 10 years or more.

There are more than 1,000 long-standing tenancies in the EH postcode area alone, with a deposit for one tenancy in Peebles starting in 1976. While many of these tenancies will still be active, there may be some cases where a tenancy has ended and none of the parties have ever instigated the repayment process.

Mike Smith, operations manager at SafeDeposits Scotland, said: “Edinburgh has the largest amount of private rented sector homes in Scotland with 62,000 currently in the market*. And it’s our job to make sure deposits are kept safe, and that both landlords and tenants have access to our dispute resolution service should there be any disagreement once the tenancy ends.

“The private rented sector in Edinburgh accounts for 25% of the capital’s entire housing market, and with the city recently awarded the top UK place for millennials to live, we predict the sector to continue growing as more people, especially young adults, chose to work and live in Edinburgh.

“Our research revealed that 700 people who lived in or around Edinburgh have left their homes without claiming back their deposit. This figure relates to where the landlord has instructed for the deposit to be repaid to the tenant, but the tenant hasn’t completed the process to receive their funds.

“We know moving home can be quite hectic but there’s no reason why a tenant shouldn’t claim what money they’re entitled to when they leave.”

Any surpluses generated by SafeDeposits Scotland are donated to its related charity, the SafeDeposits Scotland Charitable Trust.

Among the organisations to have received funding from the Trust this year is Edinburgh-based Deaf Action which, with a grant of £20,000, is developing a project to support Scottish landlords and tenants affected by hearing loss.

If tenants in Scotland think they have left a deposit with SafeDeposits Scotland unclaimed from a previous tenancy, they should enquire with the scheme on 03333 213 136.

Top property trend predictions for 2021

Why ‘urban village’ living is topping the wishlist of prospective homebuyers

Life as we know it changed dramatically in 2020. The way we work, socialise, and unwind has been fundamentally affected by the global pandemic and, in response, it is evident the priorities of prospective homebuyers have been altered significantly.

As we approach the New Year, the property experts at AMA Homes share their top property trends to look out for in 2021 and reveal which of their award-winning luxury developments ticks all the boxes.

Topping the trends in 2021 is the desire for ‘urban village’ living. The ideal urban village location offers residents all the comfort and sense of community that comes from village life, but couples it with the added bonus of having all the amenities of a large city within close proximity.

The rise in popularity of urban village living is, in part, related to the significant increase in professionals working from home. With many now opting to make home-working their permanent choice, the daily commute is no longer a deciding factor in the homebuying process. As a result, urban village living is being added to homebuyers’ wish lists.

Instead, many are succumbing to the appeal of urban village life – a slower paced way of living, a closeness with nature, a connection with neighbours, and a feeling of belonging. Yet all the benefits and convenience of remaining close to the city centre, where theatres, bars, restaurants, and shops are just a short journey away.

Ticking all the boxes of urban village living and therefore fast emerging as a property hotspot is Cramond – a quaint coastal village situated in the north-west of Edinburgh, at the mouth of the River Almond where it enters the Firth of Forth. A peaceful and picturesque setting, Cramond offers residents an idyllic outdoor lifestyle less than 20 minutes from the capital.

It is here you will find Caer Amon, an award-winning development of luxury apartments from AMA Homes. The 32 ultra high-spec apartments are set within a series of gardens and landscaped courtyards.

The exterior white walls sympathetically echo the whitewashed cottages at Cramond harbour, whilst the interiors have an unmistakably contemporary light and spacious feel. They benefit from zoned underfloor heating and excellent insulation, making them highly energy efficient.

The development was designed by Richard Murphy Architects, a world-renowned practice that has 20 RIBA awards to its name. From the very first Maggies Centre in Edinburgh, which was nominated for the 1997 Stirling Prize, to his own home on Hart Street, which won the RIBA House of the Year in 2016, Richard Murphy has created ground-breaking, innovative buildings, and Caer Amon is no exception.

28 properties at Caer Amon have already sold but house-hunters will be pleased to hear two apartments at Caer Amon have just been re-released; 30/11 Brighouse Park Cross – available now at the fixed price of £820,000, and 29/5 Brighouse Park Cross – available now at a fixed price of £500,000.

Commenting on the rise in popularity of the urban village lifestyle, AMA Homes Director, Behnam Afshar, said; ‘What we are witnessing is a major shift in the housing market which is directly related to wider changes in peoples’ lifestyles.

‘Urban village living offers the best of both worlds and nowhere is this better encapsulated than at Caer Amon – a peaceful neighbourhood in a stunning coastal location, a mere five miles from all that the Scottish capital has to offer.’

According to Behnam, the fast-paced property market shows no sign of easing up as we enter the New Year, therefore homebuyers interested in finding out more about urban village life at Caer Amon are advised to book a viewing in the first instance, strictly by appointment only.

2020 may have been an unpredictable year, with many homebuyers questioning their priorities, but it is clear from the performance of the property market that urban village living will continue to provide the ideal answer for many in 2021 and beyond.

Scottish housebuilder shines ray of sunshine on Leith with new Tayworks development

A Scottish housebuilder is transforming a former Edinburgh industrial site into 77 new homes, thanks to a £5.8million funding package from Bank of Scotland.

MNM Developments has started construction on The Tayworks, a new £12m development located in the city’s popular Leith area, on West Bowling Green Street.

The new development consists of 77 one, two, and three-bedroom apartments, with 14 of these already reserved.  Housing association, Places for People, has also acquired 14 of the 77 properties to market as affordable housing. 

The housebuilder is headed up by sibling trio, Marc, Nathan, and Michaela Teague. In addition to The Tayworks, the family-run firm recently completed The Market development in Bonnyrigg and has sites underway at Willowbrae Road in Edinburgh, and Castlemains in Dirleton.

Over the past five years the firm has built over 100 properties across Edinburgh and the Lothians and has developed a reputation in providing a quality build at affordable prices.

Despite the Covid-19 pandemic halting construction of The Tayworks for four months, the firm has managed to adapt its original build plan and is now only five weeks away from its original completion date. It will welcome its first homeowners from October 2021.

Bank of Scotland provided the business with a £5.8million development loan, supporting the firm in the build of the site. The development itself also created around 50 jobs for local sub-contractors.

Marc Teague, managing director at MNM Developments, said: “We were just breaking ground at The Tayworks site when Covid-19 hit. Despite the pause in operations, construction is now back underway, and the response so far has been brilliant. 

“Leith is an increasingly popular area to live and work, and there’s been a great deal of redevelopment in this area in the last decade. It was also named one of the coolest places to live recently by Time Out so we’re confident these properties will sell quickly.

“As a family business, we’ve had a long-standing relationship with Bank of Scotland. The financial support and guidance the bank has provided has been invaluable in bringing The Tayworks to the market, and we look forward to welcoming the new homeowners next year.”

Douglas Spowart, relationship director at Bank of Scotland, said: “The past eight months have been extremely difficult, including for firms in the construction sector. So it’s heartening to see some firms turning these challenges into new opportunities.

“Property prices in Leith are up 5% on last year such is the demand to relocate to this vibrant area of Edinburgh. This is why it’s encouraging to see firms like MNM Developments capitalise on these positive market trends in order to grow, despite this year’s challenges.

“At Bank of Scotland, we’re working by the side of businesses across all sectors to help support them on the road to recovery.”

Christmas eviction ban introduced

Six week temporary halt to protect tenants

Enforcement of evictions from rented properties will be halted in Scotland for a six week period until mid-January.

The move will give extra protection to tenants during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. It will reduce the burden on local authorities, who have a duty to rehouse people made homeless through evictions, and will also make it easier for people to self-isolate if they choose to form extended bubbles during the relaxation of COVID-19 restrictions over Christmas.

Regulations will now be introduced that will prevent eviction orders being brought between 11 December and 22 January, with the exception of cases of serious anti-social behaviour.

Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “We took early action to, in effect, halt eviction action until March 2021 due to the pandemic.

“We have supported tenants throughout this difficult period through a number of actions including increasing our Discretionary Housing Fund from £11 million to £19 million to provide additional housing support and shortly we will introduce our Tenant Hardship Loan Fund.

“We are now taking this additional, temporary step after carefully assessing the unique housing situation created by the pandemic.

“A temporary ban on carrying out evictions will give additional peace of mind to tenants over Christmas and into the new year. It will also prevent additional burdens being placed on health and housing services, during a time where they are already working hard due to the impact of the pandemic.

“It will allow tenants who are facing eviction, and may decide to take the opportunity to form extended bubbles over the festive period in line with relaxed guidance, time to effectively self-isolate afterwards should they come into contact with a positive person.

“Where there is evidence of serious anti-social or criminal behaviour, including in cases of domestic abuse, evictions can still proceed as normal.”

 The Coronavirus (Scotland) Act 2020 is an emergency law to protect renters in Scotland during coronavirus.

The temporary law applies to all eviction notices issued on or after 7 April 2020. The original end date was 30 September 2020. The Scottish Parliament has extended the law until 31 March 2021 with some changes to notice periods.

Further information on tenants’ rights during the pandemic can be accessed here: https://www.mygov.scot/private-rental-rights/

Green light for £24 million Student and Homes Quarter in Abbeyhill

Plans for a new mixed-used student and residential quarter in the Abbeyhill area of Edinburgh have been given the go ahead by the City of Edinburgh Council. 

The Abbey Lane development brings together a 298-bed student complex with 66 new homes on the half-acre site, near London Road. Artisan Real Estate will deliver the homes, while Unite Students will develop the student accommodation. 

Artisan bought the former industrial estate site in 2016 and Unite Students acquired the option to purchase the site in July this year. The estimated total cost for the development is in the region of £24 million. 

Artisan will deliver 66 apartments including affordable homes and retail units built around a landscaped courtyard. The design includes a generous amount of green space, including a courtyard area, green roofs and roof gardens.  

Welcoming the planning approval, Clive Wilding, Artisan’s Group Development Director, said: “This is part of a £90 million investment commitment by Artisan to raise the standards of sustainable living at several prime city centre brownfield sites across Edinburgh. 

“Abbey Lane will be a great example of mixed-use living in a superb central location. As well as reducing urban sprawl by optimising the number of people living in well-designed, energy-efficient homes in low car-use locations well-served by public transport, we are also envisaging what people want from their living environment, post-Covid 19. 

“Significant emphasis is placed on the quality of internal space and light to create enjoyable home-working environments, whilst accessible gardens and landscaping promote health and well-being by making nature and well-designed outdoor space integral to the day-to-day living experience.” 

Nick Hayes, Group Property Director, added: “We welcome this decision to grant planning consent. We believe this development will enhance the on-going regeneration of an important part of Edinburgh city centre. 

“Throughout the planning process, we have engaged with the local community and are looking forward to continuing that important work during the development phase of this project. Edinburgh has an undersupply of purpose-built student accommodation and we’re confident that this development will further improve the vibrant Abbeyhill area of the city.” 

David Wilson Homes expand luxury homes offering in Edinburgh

Helping to meet the increasing demand for luxurious, five-star quality homes, David Wilson Homes is expanding its offering in the capital with two new developments.

The housebuilder – part of Barratt Developments – is set to launch an entirely new development at Cammo Meadows this winter and it has just unveiled its final phase of development at the popular DWH @ Heritage Grange site.

Cammo Meadows is an attractive suburb to the north-west of Edinburgh and David Wilson Homes will be building a range of award-winning one, two and three-bedroom apartments and three and four-bedroom terraced and detached homes.

Located close to the Cammo Estate and Cramond Beach, the development offers an abundance of outdoor space, a network of cycle paths and walkways and consciously designed roads to ensure it’s the perfect location for families.

Each David Wilson property is being designed with modern life in mind and features flexible features, open-plan rooms and bright, airy and luxurious spaces.

Anne Ross, sales director at Barratt East Scotland, said: “Cammo Meadows is a beautiful location and the perfect place for us to expand into and over even more buyers the opportunity to invest in a David Wilson home. We already received lots of positive interest from prospective buyers and when we launch this winter, we look forward to seeing them on site.”

Located on the south side of the capital, Heritage Grange is a growing community just 15-minutes from the city centre. The final phase of homes has just launched at DWH @ Heritage Grange and included the four-bedroom ‘Dalmally’.

From £421,995, this property has all the space and features a growing family could need. With a generously-sized open-plan kitchen with dining and living area, to a large separate lounge and four double bedrooms upstairs, it’s perfect for buyers looking to invest in a home which will last a lifetime.

Selected properties at DWH @ Heritage Grange are eligible for the housebuilder’s ‘Movemaker’ scheme. Taking the hassle out of buying and selling, Movemaker means that David Wilson Homes can help arrange the sale of an existing property and even pay the estate agent fees.

For more details on the range of homes available at Cammo Meadows or DWH @ Heritage Grange, visit the David Wilson Homes website.

Canonmills Garden development shortlisted for prestigious awards

Canonmills Garden, Artisan Real Estate’s stylish new homes development in Edinburgh, is in the running for two prestigious accolades in this year’s Scottish Home Awards which takes place this week. 

The boutique development, overlooking the Water of Leith to the north of the city centre, is a finalist in the hotly contested Apartment Development of the Year and the blue-riband Large Housing Development of the Year categories.  

The Scottish Homes Awards were originally planned for March this year but have been rearranged as a virtual event due to the ongoing restrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. And, despite similar restrictions also facing the homes-selling sector in recent times, Canonmills Garden has more than risen to the challenge with over two-thirds of homes now sold.  

Charlotte Swanson, Artisan’s Regional Development Manager, believes the ‘virtual’ setting for the Scottish Homes Awards is a fitting platform for Canonmills Garden, which has seen the majority of its homes sold in a virtual environment. 

“Artisan is an independent, niche developer which, from the start, gave us the freedom to react quickly to the challenges of lockdown,” she says.

“We created a strong sales proposition which reflects the challenges of our times by making our website-based visitor experience even more user friendly, introducing chat-boxes directly linked to our sales team as well as cutting-edge interactive graphics including virtual presentations and 3D apartment walk-throughs. 

“We had a huge advantage in that, even before lockdown, we were pushing a 60 per-cent success rate despite all sales being off-plan and all marketing activity up to that point being conducted off site.”  

Artisan’s boutique development, a spectacular mix of 180 one, two and three-bedroom apartments and colony-style properties, was first launched in 2018 and has firmly established itself as the new blueprint for post-lockdown living. 

Generous and airy internal dimensions combine with large balconies and terraces overlooking private gardens and the Water of Leith – all underpinned with the latest in smart design and energy efficient technology. 

Artisan was subsequently one of the first developers to open a show home and marketing suite once the initial lockdown restrictions were relaxed, reintroducing the human touch to the homes-sales process.  And the results, so far, have been spectacular with sales at Canonmills Garden continuing apace with two first-phase blocks now sold out – including 70% already sold off-plan. The first residents will be moving in during the first quarter of 2020 

With consumer confidence continuing to return to the market, prices and value are increasing with the average value of apartments growing by seven per-cent since the development’s marketing launch in 2018. The Canonmills Garden show home, designed by well-known Scottish Interior Designer Carol Yates, is now available to visit.

To book an exclusive VIP tour click here: https://canonmillsgarden.simplybook.it/v2/ 

A range of apartments is now available at Canonmills Garden with prices starting at £333,000. For more information, visit: www.canonmillsgarden.com. 

Scottish Parliament consultation: Increasing tenant protection

Holyrood’s Local Government and Communities Committee is seeking views on a new Bill which aims to increase private tenants’ protection by limiting rent increases and allowing them to seek a “fair” rent. 

The Fair Rents (Scotland) Bill, a Member’s Bill from Pauline McNeill MSP, would prevent a landlord of a private residential tenancy from increasing rent in any year by more than the Consumer Price Index (CPI) plus 1%.

The Bill seeks to provide greater protections for private tenants by allowing them to apply at any time to a Rent Officer for a ‘fair open market rent’ to be set for a property. In deciding the application, the Officer would take into account matters like whether the property has poor energy efficiency or is in a bad condition.

The Bill would also make private landlords enter more detailed information about their property in the Scottish Landlord Register, including the monthly rent charged.


Local Government and Communities Committee Convener James Dornan MSP said: “The proportion of households in private rented housing now stands at just under 15%.

“As the private rented sector in Scotland has grown over the last couple of decades there have been various reforms to tighten the regulation of landlords and give tenants more rights. But the stated ambition behind this Bill is to change the balance of power further. It would cap rent increases to 1% plus CPI and to allow tenants more scope to challenge rents.

“We are keen to hear views about whether this further change is necessary and whether the provisions in the Bill are workable and will have the intended impact.

“We also want to find out what the financial impact of this Bill would be upon private tenants, landlords, the wider rented sector and others, and we welcome the opportunity to hear views on this proposed legislation.”

The cap on rent rises imposed by the Bill and the right to seek a “fair open market rent” apply to holders of ‘Private Residential Tenancies’ which have been the standard type of tenancy since 2017. The Bill will not impact rent-a-room agreements where the lodger rents in the owner’s home.

The Committee’s call for view closes on 7 December and you can give your views here: https://yourviews.parliament.scot/lgc/fair-rents-bill

Blackwood staff at the forefront of driving future change

Staff are being put at the forefront of a housing and care charity’s strategy to plan its future direction as it prepares for life with COVID-19.

Blackwood will be assessing the responses of all of its 549 employees and using them to implement strategies to improve the work and lives of everyone involved in the charity.

Staff were asked to answer two surveys over a six week period to assess opinions on a range of issues.

Blackwood Operations Director Angela Currie (above) said: “We couldn’t care for our customers without the hard work of all of our staff, from those on the frontline providing care and housing services, to our corporate team.

“Many of us have felt the additional pain and pressure of working in the social care sector during the pandemic. The vital, company-wide support we have had from our colleagues has been a huge factor in our management of the pandemic.

“At Blackwood we believe it is essential to ask for the input of all of our staff. We recognise how important feedback is in creating a strong organisation. We want our staff to be a part of our planning and influence how we move forward, especially as we look to progress out of the pandemic to a more ‘normal’ life.

“All of our employees were sent the surveys, which take into account how staff are feeling about working from home, their work-life balance, and what they would like to see more of in the future.”

Blackwood’s commitment to staff has been evident throughout the pandemic. The charity launched a campaign, #ImInAwe, to showcase its appreciation for the vital work of front-line social care workers, which can often go unnoticed.

As part of the campaign, Blackwood gifted all 284 of its care staff a £90 Aldi voucher to help with their essential shopping.

In addition, Blackwood have further endorsed its desire to recognise the impact of its workforce by giving its support for World Patient Safety Day.

Angela added: “Our colleagues have gone above and beyond over the past few months, we cannot thank them enough.

“Through World Patient Safety Day we celebrate and value our teams as they continue to put customers first in unprecedented times. Utilising practical solutions to empower our staff, even outside of the work environment, is the key to a safer Scotland.

“Working with our colleagues on this survey will hopefully provide us with some interesting insights on how staff are feeling, and how we can retain some of the more positive elements of working we have seen over the past six months.”

Blackwood aims to help people live their life to the full, by providing services which support individuals to live independently. It specialises in technology and design innovation to support the role of its housing and care staff across Scotland.

For more information, please visit: https://www.blackwoodgroup.org.uk