Scale of poor quality housing a ‘national disgrace’
The huge number of privately rented homes that aren’t fit for human habitation is a national disgrace, say the Scottish Greens.
New research by Living Rent, which has been published today (20 May), shows almost 100,000 homes in Scotland do not meet the Tolerable Standard - a sixfold increase on five years ago.
This standard is the legally-required minimum level of quality all rented homes have to meet.
Mere hours after the publication of these findings, the Scottish Greens’ attempt to remedy this situation by an amendment to the Housing Bill was rejected by the Scottish Government and Conservative MSPs.
SNP and Tory members of the Local Government, Housing and Planning (LGHP) Committee voted against Maggie Chapman’s proposal to stop landlords hiking rent if their accommodation doesn’t meet certain standards.
Reacting to today’s events, Ms Chapman said:
“It’s staggering that on the same day we found out that 27% of privately-rented homes aren’t meeting the most basic habitable standards, the SNP and Tories voted to keep things as they are.
“The status quo isn’t working for renters, who are having to live in appalling, unhealthy conditions while their landlords are profiting off their misery.
“We in the Scottish Greens are doing everything in our power to change this situation and improve the lives of tenants. Renters’ rights were meant to be at the heart of the Housing Bill. So, it’s extremely disappointing that the SNP Government has rowed back on this and is instead focusing on protecting landlords.”