Tag: tenants

Inner city Edinburgh sees rental growth of 7.2% year on year

  • Average annual UK rental growth* has reached a 13 year high, with rents increasing to £969 (+8.3%) in Q4 2021, up £62 per month since the start of the pandemic 
  • The average rent now accounts for 37% of gross income for a single earner – up from a pandemic dip of 34% during most of 2021 but broadly in line with the 10-year average of 36%
  • Overall, average rents are up nearly 12% over the last five years 
  • Demand for rental properties in January was 76% higher compared to the New Year market between 2018 and 2021 
  • The stock of rental properties currently available across the UK is 39% lower than the five year average around this time of year
  • Inner city London has seen a rental growth of 11% compared to the same time last year -but the decline in rents during the pandemic means this has translated into an increase of just £18 per month in rent compared to March 2020

Average UK rents are tracking at almost £1000pcm – £62 more than at the start of the pandemic – against a backdrop of increased living costs squeezing households, reports Zoopla, the UK’s leading property portal, in its quarterly Rental Market Report.

UK rents squeeze disposable household income as cost of living rises

The UK’s average rental growth has reached a 13 year high, up 8.3% in Q4 2021, meaning households who agree new lets are now having to pay an additional average annual cost of £744, compared to the start of the pandemic (March 2020). 

This increase means that a single earner can now expect to spend 37% of their gross income on rent, which is up from 34% during most of 2021. However, this now brings the figure broadly back in line with the longer term average of 36% as rental growth rises in line with wage growth.

Even with the current sharp rise, the overall increase in UK rents over the last five years totals 12% thanks to the decline in rents seen in some areas during the pandemic. 

Rental market shrinks as demand creates fast-paced rental landscape

The New Year has seen heightened demand for rental properties, up +76% compared to the New Year markets between 2018 and 2021. Yet the supply of rental properties recorded in January 2022 in the UK is 39% below levels typically observed at the start of the year. This is creating competition in the market,  with the imbalance of supply and demand ultimately spurring rental growth. 

As a result, properties are being snapped up. In London, this means renters are having to move quickly to secure the perfect property with the time to let now averaging a fortnight, down from three weeks in late 2020. 

This shrinking stock of homes for rent can be attributed to a continued decrease in buy-to-let investment over the last five years.. As rents rise, more renters will be choosing to stay in their properties, limiting stock turnover. With supply squeezed, it’s likely that continued demand will underpin more modest rental growth in the coming months, especially in city centres.

However, as the spike in demand falls back – hampered by the increases in household costs – it will reduce pressure on supply, ultimately driving more local competition to attract renters in local markets. 

City centre rents continue upward growth trajectory 

Pandemic trends saw strong growth in rental demand in wider commuter zones as renters embraced the ‘search for space’, but demand has now recovered across the central districts of all  major cities including Birmingham, Edinburgh, Leeds and Manchester in a reversal of recent behaviour. This is largely driven by pent up demand from office workers, students, and international residents and investors who are looking for city centre living. 

This is a normalisation of rental behaviour as demand once again rises in more central zones – seen most prominently in inner London with rental growth of 11% compared to the same time last year. But given the steep fall in London rents during the pandemic, this translates to an increase of just £18 per month in rent compared to March 2020.

Gráinne Gilmore, Head of Research, Zoopla, comments: “Rents have risen sharply in recent months, amid a backdrop of rising living costs. But it is important to point out that in terms of rental affordability, in most markets rents are still close to the 10-year average. As demand continues to outpace supply, there will be further upward pressure on rents, but affordability considerations will act as a brake on large rises. 

“In addition, the January peak in rental demand will start to ease in the coming months, putting less severe pressure on supply, which will lead to more local market competition, and more modest rental increases.  

“The flooding of rental demand back into city centres thanks to office workers, students and international demand returning to cities means the post-pandemic ‘recalibration’ of the rental market is well underway.” 

James Evans, CEO at Douglas & Gordon, comments: “Since the beginning of the year, we have seen a clear trend of people coming back to London and the office. This has contributed to around a 40% increase in new lettings applicants compared to the same month last year.

“As there is also still a very restricted supply of properties, we’re seeing landlords achieve record prices, a high quality of tenant and almost no void periods. With competition for properties at the level it is, there are 35-40 new applicants for every rental property in London and around four offers received per agreed let, so tenants are having to put themselves in the best position possible to get the properties they want. 

“Following a strong sales market in 2021, and more confidence in future price increases in London, we are seeing more buy to let investors entering the market. With some of the recent legislation changes, the need for a quality agent is even greater.”

* Based on new lets as recorded by Zoopla

A new deal for tenants: consultation launched

Plans to deliver a new deal for tenants, with stronger rights, greater protections against eviction and access to greener, higher-quality, more affordable housing, have been launched.

The proposals, which are now open to public consultation, aim to deliver a fairer rented sector that meets the needs of tenants and welcomes responsible landlords.

They include:

  • increasing penalties for illegal evictions and stronger enforcement
  • restricting evictions during winter
  • giving tenants greater flexibility to personalise their homes and keep pets
  • developing a national system of rent controls for the private rented sector
  • introducing a new Housing Standard to apply to all homes
  • establishing a private rented sector regulator to uphold these standards and ensure the system is fair for both landlords and tenants
  • setting minimum standards for energy efficiency, making homes cheaper to heat while contributing to Scotland’s climate change targets

The measures form part of the Housing to 2040 strategy, published in March this year, and take forward several commitments made in the co-operation agreement with the Scottish Green Party. The results of the consultation will feed into the final version of the strategy to be published next year, with elements of the proposals put to the Scottish Parliament in a Housing Bill in 2023.

Tenants’ Rights Minister Patrick Harvie said: “Now is the time to do more for people who rent their homes, whether they are renting privately, from the council or from a housing association. Delivering a new deal for tenants is central to our ambitions for a fairer Scotland, tackling child poverty and meeting climate change targets.

“Above all else it will significantly improve the lives of Scotland’s tenants, giving them more stability, more choice over where they live and how they decorate their homes, and the confidence that their home will be of a high quality. At the same time it will recognise the interests of good quality, responsible landlords.  

“We will be working in partnership with landlords, letting agents, tenants and others to deliver this strategy, and we want to gather the broadest range of views. I would encourage anyone with an interest to respond to our consultation.”

Alison Watson, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: “A warm, safe, and permanent home is a right not a privilege for everyone in Scotland. To make this a reality we need to ensure there is enough social housing for everyone who needs it, while strengthening the rights of tenants and empowering people to defend them.

“Shelter Scotland has long called for tenants’ rights and protections, in both the social and private sectors, to be strengthened to make sure no one can be denied their right to a home. Too many renters aren’t aware of their rights or don’t feel confident in enforcing them and that needs to change.

“This is an ambitious strategy, and it offers the chance to mend many aspects of a housing system that is currently failing thousands. We are excited to work with the Scottish Government to develop these ideas and build a better future for housing in Scotland.”

Sally Thomas, Chief Executive of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s ambition that all tenants should have access to secure, good quality, affordable homes. We are also pleased the government has acknowledged the unique role housing associations have in delivering these outcomes to people right across Scotland.   

“Fairness, quality and affordability are at the heart of the social housing sector, with our homes built to the highest standards, and tenants regularly engaged in important decisions.  

“This consultation provides an opportunity to inform and shape the detail behind these important principles, not least to provide a clearer definition of affordability. SFHA and our members look forward to working with Scottish Government over the coming months to do this.” 

The consultation closes on 15 April 2022.

Ten-year housing investment plan on track despite construction slowdown, Council insists

The city council says it is on track and committed to delivering on its ambition to deliver 20,000 affordable homes by 2027, despite the UK-wide impact on the development of affordable homes following the global pandemic.

In its Strategic Housing Investment Plan (SHIP) 2022-27 report being presented to the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee next week (4 November) councillors will be asked to approve the proposals ahead of submission to the Scottish Government.

The SHIP 2022-2027 highlights the progress being made which includes the projection that 7,500 new affordable homes will be approved by 31 March 2022 and 5,790 completed. There are currently over 2,100 homes under construction on 34 sites across the city. 

A ‘strong pipeline’ has also been identified of 11,118 affordable homes that could be approved for site start and 10,124 potential completions by 2027.

Despite over 18 months of disruption for the entire Scottish house building sector, it is anticipated that the delivery of the interim milestone of 10,000 homes will be achieved midway through 2023. There are currently 25 projects, equating to 1,456 approvals, that have been delayed, primarily as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 75% of these projects have just slipped into the subsequent year.

This comes in the wake of national pressures on the UK and Scottish house building sector. In the Scottish Government’s “Housing statistics quarterly update: September 2021” it sets out that in June 2021 affordable housing approvals were down 36%, compared to the same time last year. Affordable housing completions are also down 5% year-on-year, but when compared to 2019, there is a reduction of over 15%.

Added to this, as construction projects worldwide have recommenced post-pandemic, a surge in materials demand and prices has been seen which build on the pressures being seen as a result of the UK’s exit from Europe. The Office for National Statistics projects a rise of 7-8% in material prices, with increases for certain materials, such as timber, expected to more than double during the course of the year.

Councillor Kate Campbell, Convener for the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee, said: There are extreme pressures on housing in Edinburgh and a desperate need for more affordable homes.

“We’re doing all we can to drive forward our house building programme so that our residents can have permanent homes that are energy efficient, safe and affordable. There are constraints, from Brexit and Covid, which have had a severe impact on supply chains, material costs and the labour market, which are affecting housebuilding across the UK.

“That said, the good news is that this is the largest ever SHIP brought forward. It sets out a positive long-term picture and shows we are on track to deliver a programme for 20,000 affordable homes over ten years.

“We’ll continue to work hard with our housing association partners to build more homes for social rent. But we need to look at what more we can do. We were the first local authority to develop an Affordable Housing Policy through planning – where 25% of the land on any new development must be given for affordable housing. Now, through the City Plan, we’re proposing to increase the affordable allocation from 25% to 35%.

“We have a strong track record in delivering new social rented homes. This has resulted in an additional £36 million of grant funding being given to Edinburgh over the last five years. We’ll work hard to make sure this continues, alongside making the case to the Scottish Government for increased investment in social housing in our city.”

Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee said: “The Edinburgh housing market has remained resilient throughout the pandemic, however the full impact of lockdown & the continuation of restrictions, combined with Brexit, on the wider economy & the job market is not fully known. 

“Those on low incomes will continue to be the greatest affected and therefore affordable housing needs to play a key role in a green and sustainable recovery.”

In term of delivery, funding and land supply remain two key challenges for delivery. The SHIP will require £329.6m in grant funding, or £65.9m per annum on average, or a 29% required annual increase, based on current benchmarks in order to meet the overall ambition of 20,000 homes. The Council will continue to work with Scottish Government and its partners to stretch available grant funding as far as possible to maximise the number of social rented homes that can be delivered.

While our Registered Social Landlord (RSL) programme is almost entirely dependent upon private developers bringing forward sites for development through the Affordable Housing Plan (AHP), we’re looking to mitigate this risk, through our Land Strategy by working on 20-minute partnerships with private sector & RSLs, inviting interest from the private sector to bringing forward opportunities for Council led delivery and working closely with public sector partners.

Strategic-Housing-Investment-Plan-SHIP-2022-27Download

Eviction ‘a last resort’

Protecting tenants during pandemic

Housing Secretary Shona Robison has welcomed new joint statements from landlords reaffirming their commitment to supporting tenants facing difficulties during the pandemic.

Signed by representative bodies for local authorities, housing associations and private landlords, the statements underline the sector’s commitment to only taking eviction action as a last resort.

The move follows this week’s announcement by Deputy First Minister John Swinney of a £10 million grant fund to support tenants struggling to pay their rent as a direct result of Coronavirus (COVID-19). The new fund takes the Scottish Government’s total support for tenants during the pandemic to almost £39 million.

Ms Robison said: “We have been clear from the outset that eviction action must be an absolute last resort, when all other avenues have been exhausted and a tenancy is no longer sustainable, so I welcome these joint statements from across the rental sector.

“The actions already taken by the Scottish Government, local authorities, housing associations and private landlords have been essential to avoiding evictions. Our new £10 million grant fund to support those who are struggling to pay their rent will shore up these efforts and extend more support to those facing crisis due to the pandemic. We will work towards making the grant fund available later in the year, and we will work with stakeholders over the coming weeks to develop the details.

“Paying rent is an important tenant responsibility, and tenants in financial hardship should engage directly with their landlord. When landlords are flexible with their tenants, signposting them to the range of financial support that is available and coming to agreements to prevent and manage rent arrears, this sustains tenancies and keeps people in their homes, benefitting everyone. These actions are crucial to move towards a sustainable and fair recovery from the impact of COVID-19.”

Cllr Kelly Parry, COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, said: “Local authorities have worked closely with tenants during the public health crisis, to support them to stay in their homes.

“This is something we were doing previously, but became even more important as our homes became even more important to us over the months of the pandemic. I am glad to see the sector restate their commitment to support tenants, and would encourage any tenant facing financial challenges to work closely with their landlord and seek advice and guidance early.”

Sally Thomas, Scottish Federation of Housing Associations Chief Executive, said: “Housing associations and co-operatives have always worked hard to help tenants who are struggling to pay their rent through tenancy sustainment services.

“This includes support to access benefits, budgeting advice, hardship funds and employability services – and this work has increased during the pandemic. They arrange manageable payment plans for tenants in rent arrears and will never evict someone who has agreed to, and is meeting, the conditions. Every effort is made to keep people in their homes.

“Any tenant who is struggling financially should contact their housing association or co-operative for support and help in paying rent.”

John Blackwood, Scottish Association of Landlords Chief Executive, said: “The overwhelming majority of tenants and landlords are working together to sustain tenancies during the pandemic.

“We welcome the Scottish Government emphasising that tenants have a responsibility to pay their rent, and encourage landlords to work with their tenants and always treat eviction action as a last resort. Our members have been working closely with tenants to reduce rents and write off arrears wherever possible.

“We strongly welcome the £10 million grant fund the Scottish Government has announced to help ensure tenants do not build up debt through rent arrears that they would struggle to repay. It is important landlords remain sensitive and constructive when working with their tenants, and that tenants struggling due to the pandemic speak to their landlord as early as possible.”

The shared statement on private landlords and letting agents working together with tenants to avoid evictions reads:

In responding to the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, there are many examples of private landlords and letting agents who have gone further than ever before to engage with tenants as more people find themselves in difficulty for the first time because of Covid.

As the country comes out of lockdown it is our shared commitment to make sure that tenants in hardship because of Covid continue to get support to pay their rent and living expenses and we will continue to work together collectively to ensure this is done.

The Scottish Government will continue to explore all options for policy and financial support to enable tenants to work with their landlords and letting agents; to be aware of their rights and responsibilities and support them to address financial hardship due to Covid-19.

Alongside existing support of extended notice periods, Discretionary Housing Payments and the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund this will include a new £10m Grant Fund package to support tenants in crisis who are struggling to pay their rent because of financial difficulty caused by the pandemic and help landlords to support them.

Where a private tenant has suffered financial hardship because of the Coronavirus pandemic, eviction action should be an absolute last resort, when all other avenues have been exhausted and a tenancy is no longer sustainable.

We advise that private landlords and letting agents continue to work to the following principles – for the remainder of the pandemic and throughout recovery:

  • Intervene early to keep people in their homes and give them the support they need to stay there
  • Landlords and letting agents should work with tenants who are struggling and support them to make arrangements to pay rent through a plan that is manageable for them in the long term
  • All landlords and letting agents should be flexible with their tenants, signposting them to the range of financial support that is available to help prevent rent arrears as part of the pre-action protocols required prior to any eviction application to the Tribunal or Sheriff Court.
  • Landlords and letting agents should act compassionately and quickly to support people who are in financial hardship and wish to work with their landlord to reduce arrears.

Paying rent is an important tenant responsibility and, where a tenant is able to do so, they must continue to pay their rent.  To help do this, private landlords and letting agents from across the country have worked flexibly with their tenants to help them access the wide range of support on offer, and to sustain tenancies and prevent eviction action – as demonstrated in the annexed case studies.

Purpose of this statement

  1. To set out the current levels of support available for private rented tenants and to reaffirm the flexible and supportive approach private landlords and letting agents should and in many cases have been taking to help keep people safe in their homes and avoid eviction where tenants are struggling through no fault of their own to manage their rent payments
  2. To highlight real-life examples of private landlord practice since the start of the pandemic that has helped tenants in financial difficulty access support in order to sustain their tenancies.
  3. A complimentary statement has been developed with social housing landlords.

The Scottish Association of Landlords
PropertyMark
The Scottish Government

https://www.gov.scot/publications/joint-working-on-evictions-social-housing-shared-statement%20

Free confidential local help and advice on housing and debt is available from Granton Information Centre.

Telephone 0131 551 2459, 0131 552 0458 or email info@gic.org.uk

Bield launches award to celebrate acts of kindness

One of Scotland’s leading housing providers has launched an initiative to celebrate its community for their acts of kindness.

Housing and care provider, Bield, has launched a platform to recognise individuals going above and beyond in the community, naming the award – ‘You are one of a Kind’.

Running until March 2022, customers, owners, service users, staff and members of the local community will have the chance every month to nominate their local heroes or heroines who have gone out of their way to lend a helping hand.

At the end of each month, a board of judges will select a Bield customer along with a Bield staff member or volunteer to receive the One of a Kind Award and a £50 voucher.

This comes as Bield is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year and is looking to get as many people as possible involved in the milestone.

Chief Executive of Bield, Dr Lynne Douglas said: “Many things can go unnoticed as people go about their day to day life and this award gives us the perfect opportunity to recognise all the little things that make a big difference to individuals and their communities – especially in the current climate.

“The community at Bield has rallied together throughout the pandemic so we are really excited to launch this initiative and give those people a platform to share their amazing efforts.

“Our first series of nominations have started to come through and the stories so far have been incredible – it is wonderful to see individuals supporting each other.

 “The Bield community is truly one of a kind and we felt this award will help showcase and celebrate the amazing people we interact with on a daily basis.”

This award further amplifies the importance the provider has put on kindness, last year it was added to its core values, building on the ethos staff and customers live by.

Customers, staff and volunteers can cast vote here: 

https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Sw49M7C0qUOtpRsCxgri41WlGYsudCRGkIdsKknXwItURUZVOEFCMVpUSDNMNFRaU0VNTEpBMFZTQS4u

Bield is a registered charity which grew from humble beginnings, starting out with one housing development in Bo’ness which has gone on to become a major provider of housing and care services for around 20,000 older people across 22 local authority areas.

To find out more about Bield and its developments, visit www.bield.co.uk or follow on Facebook @bieldhousingandcare and Twitter @BieldScotland.

Rental sector loan schemes extended

Tenants and private sector landlords facing financial difficulties caused by the pandemic have more time to access support after two loan schemes were extended.

The Tenant Hardship Loan Fund and the Private Rent Sector Landlord (non-business) COVID-19 Loan Scheme, both of which offer interest-free loans, will continue to receive applications beyond the original deadline of 31 March 2021.

It comes after Housing Minister Kevin Stewart extended temporary regulations banning the enforcement of eviction orders in the private and social rented sectors, giving further safeguards to tenants during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.

Mr Stewart said: “Throughout this pandemic our focus has been on enabling people to stay safe in their homes while the lockdown restrictions needed to suppress the virus are in place.

“These loan schemes have provided vital support as part of our broader effort to help those facing financial hardship as a result of COVID-19. For the majority of tenants facing financial difficulties and arrears the best means of support continues to be regular non-repayable support, for example through Universal Credit and Discretionary Housing Payments.

“However, for those who may fall through the gap and are unable to claim such support, these funds offer a helping hand to manage any rent issues that have arisen in the last few months as a result of COVID-19.

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

Applications for the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund and the Private Rent Sector Landlord (non-business) COVID-19 Loan Scheme can be completed online. 

Cats Protection tool helps owners create a Cat CV to impress potential landlords

Cats Protection has created an online tool for cat owners that it hopes will help persuade more landlords to allow their tenants to have a cat.

The Cat CV has been created after it was estimated that one million households across the UK would like to have a cat, but can’t due to the fact they are in a rental property.*

Cats Protection’s Head of Advocacy & Government Relations Jacqui Cuff said: “During the past year, we’ve heard countless stories from owners about how important their cat has been. People tell us their cats have provided comfort in worrying times, a playful companion for children as they home school, and helped reduce stress while getting to grips with working from home.

“But very sadly, many people have been denied the simple pleasure of owning a cat, simply because they rent rather than own their home. Now more than ever, we all deserve the chance to own a pet cat, and it is heart-breaking that so many people are not able to.

“Cats rarely cause problems in rented homes, but our Cat CV can help reassure landlords who may be nervous about allowing them. We hope it will help more renters find a happy cat-friendly home where they can feel settled.”

The charity’s Purrfect Landlords CV tool is available to download for free, and helps owners create a summary to show their cat is responsibly owned and well cared-for. Owners can also include references from previous landlords to confirm their cat has not caused any problems.

Caroline Sherlock created a CV for her three rescue cats – Susie, Tia Maria and Sadie – when she was looking for a short-term rental while her own home was being renovated in Horsham, Sussex. 

She said: “I wanted to rent a property for just a few months, but it was so hard to find properties that allowed cats. There were lots of adverts for rented properties on websites, but when I ticked the ‘allows pets’ filter, I was left with barely any. I spent hours and hours searching and it was a very stressful experience. 

“I found the Cats Protection Pet CV template and drafted one for the three cats, including details of their microchips, flea and worming treatment and their background.

“Then when I found a property I liked, even though it didn’t mention allowing pets, I sent it to the letting agent. He thought it was a great idea and I think it really tipped the balance in my favour as it showed I was a responsible cat owner. I got the property and my cats didn’t cause any problems. 

“Cats are fantastic pets, and mine bring me so much happiness and companionship. It’s tragic that so many people can’t have a cat because they live in rented housing, especially during these difficult days when we’re all at home and missing family, friends and work colleagues.

“I really hope the Cat CV will help more people find a suitable rented housing and help landlords take a more open-minded view towards allowing cats.”

For more information about Cats Protection’s Purrfect Landlords campaign and to download an example Cat CV, please visit: www.cats.org.uk/what-we-do/campaigning/purrfectlandlords

*CATS report 2020

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.

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/

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

  • Edinburgh residents could be due share of £219,959
  • Capital has the largest number of unclaimed deposits – with one worth £4,394
  • More than 1,000 long-standing tenancies in Scotland have an EH postcode

SafeDeposits Scotland has revealed that tenants in Edinburgh could be due a share of £219,959, 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 678 unclaimed deposits with a combined value of £219,959, with one individual claim worth £4,394 – the highest in Scotland. In total across Scotland, there are 2,418 unclaimed deposits, amounting to £697,554.

In 2019, SafeDeposits Scotland tracked down 2,750 tenants across the country that had forgotten to claim their deposits back. The not-for-profit organisation managed to return £912,418 from the scheme to these tenants.

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: “Our priority is to make sure tenants’ deposits are safe for the duration of their tenancy, and that both landlords and tenants have access to our dispute resolution service should there be any disagreement over the deposit once the tenancy ends.

“It has been predicted that Edinburgh will be home to 60,000 private rented sector homes by 2028, as the city continues to attract people looking for employment in the capital’s thriving creative industries sector*. It’s part of our job to make sure that people, including those moving into these new houses, remember to claim their deposits back from previous tenancies.

“We’ve found that more than 600 people who lived in or around Edinburgh have left their homes without claiming back their deposit, one of which is worth more than £4,000. These are instances 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’ve also discovered that there are hundreds of older tenancies, some of which may be no longer active and with deposits to be repaid.

“Moving home can be a busy time but there’s no reason why a tenant shouldn’t claim their deposit back 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 is Under One Roof which, with a grant of £15,462, held a series of seminars on common repairs for private landlords in 2019. The programme included events in Edinburgh and Livingston.

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.