Latest news with #LivingRent
The National
03-06-2025
- Business
- The National
Scottish MPs panned over up to £3500-a-month taxpayer-funded homes
Tenants union Living Rent have branded it 'shocking'. According to Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority data, Scottish Labour MP for Glasgow East John Grady is spending the most on rent at £3500 a month. His fellow Scottish Labour colleague, Dunfermline and Dollar MP Graeme Downie, is paying (and expensing) a hefty £3350 a month. READ MORE: Border checks on fruit and vegetable imports from EU scrapped Meanwhile, Scottish Labour MP for Bathgate and Linlithgow Kirsteen Sullivan is paying £3250 a month. Rounding out the top five are Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill and SNP MP Kirsty Blackman on £3200 a month. (Image: Image of John Grady by Colin Mearns, Newsquest)MPs are allowed to expense the costs of a second property to either have a base in their constituency or somewhere to stay when they travel to parliament, if their seat is outside of London. They can also claim up to £230 a night for hotel stays. But Aditi Jehangir, the chair of Living Rent, hit out at the amounts some are claiming. The average rent in London for a one-bedroom flat is £1500 according to the City of London, although that can vary depending on which borough. Although, even for the most prestigious areas in London, including Westminster, the average still sits around £2500 a month. Properties you can rent in London for £3500 a month include a 'stylish Manhattan-inspired apartment' near Waterloo station. According to the listing, it offers a "luxurious lifestyle with hotel-like amenities", including a 20-metre swimming pool, private screening room, executive lounge, golf simulator, wine cellar and thermal suite facilities. It could also secure a 'very spacious' four bedroom apartment in a mansion block close to the O2. "It's shocking to see Scottish MPs spending so much of taxpayers' money on renting second homes for themselves, while refusing to support rent controls for their constituents,' Jehangir told The National. (Image: AFP/Getty Images) 'Rents across the UK are skyrocketing to extreme, unaffordable levels, plunging tenants into poverty and pushing us out of our homes.' She added: 'Rather than fighting for a system that works for everyone, they are happy to claim back thousands of pounds in expenses and fob tenants off with distant promises of new builds instead of reigning in landlords' profits. 'MPs pay lip service to the housing crisis, but when it comes to their own expensive rents, it is taxpayers who foot the bill." A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: 'It is right that the rules around MPs' expenses are set and administered independently by the Parliamentary watchdog Ipsa. All claims have been made in line with Ipsa rules." The lowest claimants, in terms of rent at least, include Scottish Labour MPs Melanie Ward and Gordon McKee, who claimed £680 and £1365 a month respectively.
The National
03-06-2025
- Business
- The National
Scottish MPs panned over up to £3500 a month taxpayer-funded homes
Tenants union Living Rent have branded it 'shocking'. According to Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority data, Scottish Labour MP for Glasgow East John Grady is spending the most on rent at £3500 a month. His fellow Scottish Labour colleague, Dunfermline and Dollar MP Graeme Downie, is paying (and expensing) a hefty £3350 a month. READ MORE: Border checks on fruit and vegetable imports from EU scrapped Meanwhile, Scottish Labour MP for Bathgate and Linlithgow Kirsteen Sullivan is paying £3250 a month. Rounding out the top 5 are Scotland Office minister Kirsty McNeill and SNP MP Kirsty Blackman on £3200 a month. (Image: Image of John Grady by Colin Mearns, Newsquest)MPs are allowed to expense the costs of a second property to either have a base in their constituency or somewhere to stay when they travel to parliament, if their seat is outside of London. They can also claim up to £230 a night for hotel stays. But Aditi Jehangir, the chair of Living Rent, hit out at the amounts some are claiming. The average rent in London for a one-bedroom flat is £1500 according to the City of London, although that can vary depending on which borough. Although, even for the most prestigious areas in London, including Westminster, the average still sits around £2500 a month. Properties you can rent in London for £3500 a month include a 'stylish Manhattan-inspired apartment' near Waterloo station. According to the listing, it offers a "luxurious lifestyle with hotel-like amenities", including a 20-metre swimming pool, private screening room, executive lounge, golf simulator, wine cellar and thermal suite facilities. It could also secure a 'very spacious' four bedroom apartment in a mansion block close to the O2. "It's shocking to see Scottish MPs spending so much of taxpayers' money on renting second homes for themselves, while refusing to support rent controls for their constituents,' Jehangir told The National. (Image: AFP/Getty Images) 'Rents across the UK are skyrocketing to extreme, unaffordable levels, plunging tenants into poverty and pushing us out of our homes.' She added: 'Rather than fighting for a system that works for everyone, they are happy to claim back thousands of pounds in expenses and fob tenants off with distant promises of new builds instead of reigning in landlords' profits. 'MPs pay lip service to the housing crisis, but when it comes to their own expensive rents, it is taxpayers who foot the bill." A Scottish Labour spokesperson said: 'It is right that the rules around MPs' expenses are set and administered independently by the Parliamentary watchdog IPSA. All claims have been made in line with IPSA rules." The lowest claimants, in terms of rent at least, include Scottish Labour MPs Melanie Ward and Gordon McKee, who claimed £680 and £1365 a month respectively.
The Herald Scotland
30-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Scot Gov slammed for 'shameful' drop of winter eviction ban
The aim of the amendment was to prevent people from being made homeless during the harshest, coldest months of the year where weather conditions can often be life-threatening. However, during considerations of amendments on the bill, MSPs decided not to include this clause. Reacting to the vote, Maggie Chapman has said this risks making more people homeless. The Scottish Greens MSP said: 'It is shameful that the Scottish Government has voted against a winter evictions ban. While we may be approaching summer with the coldest months ahead far from our minds, for people at risk of homelessness, the threat of a winter without a roof over their heads is real and fast approaching. 'Every winter, too many people and families are kicked out of their homes, sometimes for unwarranted reasons by landlords who don't take their obligations seriously. 'We live in an era of sky-rocketing rents, high utility bills and low wages that don't keep pace. The cost of living crisis is still very much with us. Renters need protections just as much as they did when inflation was at its height. 'But instead of giving renters more rights, the Scottish Government has made it clear that it is on the side of landlords. It has favoured the wealthy over working people, which will only serve to deepen inequality and put more people at risk of homelessness. 'I will bring these important protections back at Stage 3 of the Bill, giving the Government and opposition parties the chance to protect people and their families facing crisis, and help to ease the ongoing housing emergency in Scotland.' Living Rent said the decision was one which showed the Scottish Government is siding with landlords "at the expense of tenants". Aditi Jehangir, from Living Rent said: "All evictions are stressful and scary. And during winter, when tenants struggle to heat their homes, when it's cold outside, and the festive season is ramping up, evictions are particularly cruel. In the middle of a housing emergency, evictions are a sure promise of growing homelessness. "To vote against greater protections for tenants during the harshest months of the year is a vote against protecting the most vulnerable. It's a vote that protects landlords. The Scottish government is siding with them at the expense of tenants. This is just part of a wider move to strip the Housing Bill of any meaningful and significant protections for tenants during a devastating housing crisis. It does not bode well ahead of a Holyrood election where housing will play a deciding role and where clear and effective changes are crucial." Ministers have said the consultation on the Housing bill indicated there were other times which present major financial and emotional pressure - not just the winter months. They added that measures included in the housing bill mean that a court or tribunal will consider if there should be a delay to an eviction and seasonal impact could be taken into consideration. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Scotland provides renters with some of the strongest protections from eviction anywhere in the UK. 'We explored greater restrictions on evictions during the winter period as part of our new deal for tenants. Consultation indicated that there are other times of the year which present major financial and emotional pressures for people. 'The measures in the Housing Bill ensure that the tribunal or court will consider whether there should be a delay to the enforcement of an eviction at any time of year, although seasonal impact is a specific factor to be taken into account. This approach will give greater protection for tenants throughout the year.' The Housing Bill is currently at Stage 2 after it was introduced by the Scottish Government last year. It covers protections for tenants, preventing homelessness, and other housing matters. Earlier this month, the Scottish Parliament's Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee voted to force the Scottish Government to include student tenancies in its planned rent control legislation. Cross-party MSPs backed amendments to the Housing (Scotland) Bill that would extend rent control powers to include student accommodation – both purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) and university-owned halls. The bill also includes rights such as for private and social housing tenants to request to keep a pet and for private housing tenants to make changes to the property they are renting. It also includes changes to other matters affecting tenants such as allowing a single joint tenant to end a joint tenancy.
The National
22-05-2025
- General
- The National
Residents in Edinburgh suburb ‘forced to pay £40k for retrofit scheme'
The retrofit scheme, dubbed MTIS (Mixed Tenure Improvement Service) was originally proposed in 2018 to address the poorly insulated and maintained housing stock in Lochend within mixed-tenure buildings. Many of the homes are reportedly in a state of disrepair, with damp and mould among the issues. The scheme – which residents initially celebrated – was meant to insulate and repair homes in Lochend and Restalrig, making them more energy efficient and easier to heat – bringing them up to the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH2). READ MORE: Wales to host major conference of Europe's independence movements But the joint ownership of affected buildings between council properties and private flats has resulted in the affected homeowners being hit with very high bills for the work, Living Rent has warned. According to the tenants union, some homeowners have received estimates of over £40,000 – with initial communications about the project advising people to use their savings, or apply for loans with the council's Scheme of Assistance payment plan, which offers interest rate loans of 4-6%. Living Rent says that many residents do not have thousands of pounds in savings, nor do residents consider it fair to pay interest on a loan they might have no choice but to take out. (Image: Freelance) At yesterday's event in Lochend, tenants' union members presented a report on their experience of the retrofit scheme, making the case that lessons should be learnt from its rollout. Members of the tenants union also presented the report to the Just Transition Commission, an independent advisory body to the Scottish Government responsible for providing scrutiny and advice on putting justice at the heart of climate action. Laura Dalgetty, Living Rent Lochend campaigns officer said: 'We have campaigned tirelessly to make this building scheme a fair deal for our community: homeowners, council and private tenants alike. "We invited MSPs and councillors to hear how this work is affecting our lives and what we think could be done to make this a positive experience for other communities. Their absence tonight is deeply felt. For retrofits to work and actually involve the community, our politicians would do well to start by taking our experience and expertise seriously.'
The Herald Scotland
20-05-2025
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
100,000 Scots private rented homes not fit for human habitation
It is classed as a basic "condemnatory" standard, with a wider scope than the Scottish Housing Quality Standard for social housing which means that it is not reasonable to expect people to continue to live in a house that falls below it. It is all despite the fact that of the 2.7 million homes in Scotland, 23% are socially rented, aimed at individuals and families who have a limited income - against 13% that are private lets. The number of privately rented homes that are falling below the 'tolerable standard' has shot up nearly sixfold from an estimated 7,020 (4%) in 2018 to 94,770 (27%) in 2023. Meanwhile, the number of affordable social rented homes that are falling below the standard has shot up less steeply from 9,499 to 46,922. It comes as a survey by Scots tenants' rights group Living Rent found that one in three private sector tenants in Scotland were living with mould and damp in what they are describing as a "disrepair endemic". It has led campaigners to demand that new rules to combat housing disrepair across Scotland must apply to those renting privately. The Living Rent survey of hundreds of Scots renters found that nearly two thirds (64%) of respondents lived with some form of disrepair and 82% have lived in disrepair since they began taking on lets in Scotland. It has led to new concerns that proposed new laws to deal with Scottish homes that are classed as not fit for habitation - will not cover those that are privately rented. The Scottish Government has said that landlords would be forced to investigate and fix dangerous damp and mould in homes under new measures being proposed. But it has emerged that proposals so far announced are focussed on the social rented sector which comprises properties owned by councils and housing associations. Awaab IshakConcerns had been raised about a north-south divide over housing standards after the death of toddler Awaab Ishak over four years ago due to conditions at the family's Rochdale flat ushered in tough legislation forcing landlords to fix damp and mould in properties within "strict new time limits". But it will only be enforceable in England and Wales. The UK government has already committed to apply Awaab's law to privately rented homes in England and Wales in a way that is 'fair and proportionate' for tenants and landlords. A petition lodged with the Scottish Parliament urged ministers to introduce an Awaab's Law for Scotland, requiring all private and registered social landlords to investigate and remediate damp and mould within specified timeframes and to high-quality standards. Some have named the new rules as Leighton's Law after The Herald revealed the extent of sub-standard housing across the nation and how 28-year-old single mother Michelle Ure called for changes in how families like hers are dealt with in dealing with defective homes. She revealed that her two-year-old toddler Leighton's life is lucky-to-be alive due to rampant damp and mould problems in her council flat which resulted in him being at risk of choking on his vomit. READ MORE: The survey of 567 people carried out by Living Rent over January and February has shown that the overwhelming majority of respondents had outstanding repairs in their home, with most saying that their health and mental health was particularly affected by living with disrepair. The study also suggested that the most vulnerable tenants were hit the hardest by poor quality housing. It found that 38% said they had structural issues, 28% had broken appliances and 17% experienced low temperatures due to their properties' disrepair. Of those living with disrepair, 66% had a rent increase last year. Some 41.1% of tenants who had experienced disrepair earned below £20,000 per year and 16% spent at least half their wage on rent. Nearly 100,000 privately rented homes are classed as not fit for human habitation (Image: Newsquest) Most tenants have experienced disrepair at some point during their time renting in Scotland. When asked about disrepair since they started renting in Scotland, 82% said they have had disrepair in their tenancy at one point and 61.9% say they have experienced mould and damp. Half (52.7%) of tenants say they have had structural issues and 60% say they have had broken appliances. 45.8% say they have experienced low temperatures due to their housing. Living with disrepairs also severely impacts tenants' health. When asked whether disrepair had impacted their health over their time renting in Scotland, 62% of respondents said that it had impacted their physical health. And 86% said that it has impacted their mental health. According to the Marmot review exposure to poor housing conditions (including damp, cold, mould, noise) is strongly associated with poor health, both physical and mental. In particular the report points to an increase in 'respiratory conditions, cardiovascular disease and communicable disease transmission, and increased mortality' as well as 'increased stress, a reduction in a sense of empowerment and control over one's life and depression and anxiety.' Living Rent says that a Leighton's Law "can't come soon enough" to give social housing tenants "greater protection against disrepairs" such as damp and mould. However it said that the housing quality crisis is not limited to social housing and that private tenants face "the worst quality housing in Scotland". Living Rent said: "Disrepair in Scotland is endemic throughout our homes. The Scottish government has fallen asleep at the wheel and needs to be doing far more to protect tenants from chronic disrepair. "Landlords allowing tenants to live with disrepair should be seen in a similar light as employers putting their workers at risk in a work setting. Mould and damp is a health and safety issue and needs to be treated like one." The proposed new Scottish Government laws emerged after The Herald revealed more than 700,000 Scottish homes were classed as not fit for habitation. The analysis revealed that an estimated 270,000 Scottish homes are suffering with mould while 81,000 are hit by rising or penetrating damp. Campaigners believe even these numbers are underestimated and have complained about a lack of clarity in tracking the issues. The rise in 'tolerable standard' failures is believed to be primarily fuelled by amendments to Scots law which came into force in February 2022, and states that smoke, heat and carbon monoxide detectors are a requirement of private rented properties to meet the tolerable standard. It was brought in to reduce the risk of loss of life, injury, and damage to property in the event of fire. Failures have also been linked to an inability to be free from rising and penetrating damp and having unsafe electrical systems. The Scottish Government has been planning to amend the Housing (Scotland) Bill to give ministers the power to impose repair deadlines on landlords to investigate disrepair such as damp and mould and start repairs. But the proposals highlighted by the Scottish Government as housing campaigners were raising issues about damp and mould in the Scottish Parliament concentrated on dealing with the social housing sector. Registered social landlords are required to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) which requires housing to be free from rising or penetrating damp, to have satisfactory ventilation and meet minimum energy efficiency standards. And the Scottish Government has said their proposed new regulations will "build on provisions already in the Bill on strengthening tenants' rights and Scotland's existing legal protections for social tenants such as the SHQS and the Right to Repair Scheme". The Scottish Government said it would "consider" how to implement any new laws for private tenants. Living Rent's chairman Aditi Jehangir added: "Right now there is a failure of regulation and accountability for landlords. As a result, landlords are getting away with inaction and tenants are scared of raising issues for fear of eviction. With landlords able to get away with charging extortionate rents whilst their properties sit in disrepair, tenants are left powerless in a perfect storm. "The Scottish government needs to take the lack of repairs and mould and damp in the private sector as seriously as in the social sector and introduce the equivalent to Awaab's law for private tenants. "Tenants need this government to legislate to introduce clear mechanisms to ensure repairs happen, compensation for tenants and penalties for landlords if repairs are not completed in time. The responsibility for disrepair needs to be put firmly back where it belongs, at the door of the landlords." A Scottish Government spokesman said: 'We are committed to tackling disrepair in housing. The overall condition of housing in Scotland has been steadily improving over the years, driven by existing standards. 'Landlords for social or private rented homes in Scotland are required to make sure properties are free from damp, have adequate ventilation and are suitably insulated. "We have also introduced amendments to the Housing (Scotland) Bill that will broaden ministers powers to impose timeframes on social landlords to investigate disrepair, such as damp and mould, and start repairs. 'Just like the social rented sector, the Scottish Government is committed to and will consider how to implement Awaab's Law for private tenants, using existing powers, after engagement with the private rented sector.'
