- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08560 by Shona Robison on 25 May 2022, what its strategy is for managing exits (a) holistically and (b) on a case-by-case basis.
Answer
The private rented sector has seen a steady increase in size over the last 20 years, more than doubling in size, with some annual fluctuations. We will continue to monitor the whole housing market using the Landlord Register along with other statistical information on a regular basis and will consider further should significant changes happen.
Individual landlords will enter and leave the sector depending on their personal and business circumstances and through the Private Residential (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016, strong protections and processes are in place for tenants in that situation.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 30 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S6W-08560 by Shona Robison on 25 May 2022, how rapidly the register and other official statistics provides this data.
Answer
The Scottish Landlord Registration provides data on the number of private landlord registrations, for example in relation to the number of new applications, renewals made and the number of properties these relate to, on a monthly basis.
Official statistics on the sector from the Scottish Household Survey, are released as soon as they are available. In recent years, national results from the Scottish Household Survey have been published around September following the survey year, although Covid-19 has impacted on this survey, with 2020 results published in January 2022 and 2021 results scheduled for publication in December 2022.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 26 May 2022
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 14 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will review the Home Owners' Support Fund rules in light of rising interest rates and the cost of living crisis.
Answer
At present, there is no marked increase in applications to the Home Owners Support Fund (HOSF). However, to ensure the scheme has maximum impact as part of our response to the current economic situation, I can confirm my officials are currently reviewing HOSF to consider what more can be done through the scheme to support homeowners struggling with mortgage repayments as a result of rising interest rates and the cost of living crisis.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 08 June 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 16 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government what the support capacity of Home Energy Scotland was before this was increased by 12,000 households.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 16 June 2022
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 01 June 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its cross-government co-ordination on islands policies, what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with the social justice secretary regarding the impact on rural and island communities of second home ownership.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 9 June 2022
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 12 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 26 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has undertaken a feasibility assessment and consultation to consider a new system for the registration of boiler sales and installations, for the purposes of managing the phase-out of fossil fuel boilers. R
Answer
As set out in the Heat in Buildings Strategy, the Scottish Government has committed to phasing out the need to install new or replacement boilers in off-gas grid homes from 2025 and in on-gas grid areas from 2030.
The Scottish Government continues to consider a range of possible means to implement this commitment – including forming views on the feasibility of creating new systems to register the sale and/or installation of boilers.
We will consult on a proposed approach in the coming year.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Wednesday, 25 May 2022
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Current Status:
Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how many people in Central Scotland have been helped onto the property ladder through government schemes since 2016-17.
Answer
Taken in the Chamber on 1 June 2022
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 25 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how the Affordable Housing Supply Programme process and procedures facilitate the purchase of properties exiting the private rented sector in order to maintain the homes of tenants affected, in light of the publication, RentBetter: Research on the impact of changes to the private rented sector tenancy regime in Scotland: Wave 2 Final Report, which states that half of landlords intend to leave the market.
Answer
The Scottish Government already invests significantly through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme and works with private sector funders and suppliers to maximise the delivery of the right homes in the right places. While the Affordable Housing Supply Programme process and procedures guidance does not specifically facilitate the purchase of properties exiting the private rented sector in order to maintain the homes of tenants affected, we were keen to gather views on what more can be done to ensure that the supply of rented homes continues to play a key role in addressing the affordability issues we are facing in Scotland as part of the consultation on the draft rented sector strategy – A New Deal for Tenants. We have specifically sought views on whether there are opportunities to engage with owners/ landlords to allow first refusal to those delivering the Affordable Housing Supply Programme. The consultation closed on 22 April and we will consider the responses in order to determine whether any changes are required to current guidance.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 25 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government how it monitors (a) landlord and (b) stock exits from the private rental sector, and what its policy is for managing these exits.
Answer
The Scottish Landlord Register provides data on the number of private landlord registrations, for example in relation to the number of new applications, renewals made and the number of properties these relate to.
The Scottish Government uses this information to monitor the number of registered landlords operating and properties in Scotland, and to appropriately distribute the applications fees to the relevant local authorities.
The information is also used more broadly to help with gaining insights and understanding of the Private Rented Sector and its regulation in Scotland, alongside other official statistics on the sector such as results from the Scottish Household Survey, which can help to monitor trends over time in overall stock levels of private rented sector households.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 13 May 2022
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 25 May 2022
To ask the Scottish Government when it last reviewed the requirement for affordable housing supply programme "buy-backs" to take place on the open market only.
Answer
Following a recent review, we will be publishing updated guidance on the operation of the Affordable Housing Supply Programme over the coming weeks so that Councils and Registered Social Landlords can apply for grant funding to enable them to purchase existing homes which are not for sale on the open market under the following circumstances.
Councils and Registered Social Landlords will be able to apply for grant funding to purchase homes with vacant possession where it can be demonstrated that the purchase meets a clear strategic purpose, and can clearly be seen to support the achievement of the priorities and objectives set out in a local authority’s Local Housing Strategy. Securing stock where there is a limited supply and limited development opportunities is an example of the type of situation where this might be deemed appropriate.
Councils and Registered Social Landlords will also be able to apply for grant funding to enable them to acquire properties from owner occupiers (particularly those in mixed tenure blocks) who cannot afford the required maintenance or refurbishment of their home, and would therefore wish to sell their home to a Council or Registered Social Landlord and become a tenant in the social rented sector. This will be permitted where is can be clearly demonstrated that:
- the purchase facilitates the consolidation of stock ownership for managing specific planned stock improvement/ refurbishment works, and supports the achievement of the priorities and objectives set out in a local authority’s Local Housing Strategy
- the local authority is unable to facilitate the planned works from local resources under discretionary power to assist
- the homeowner has received (a) advice about their financial situation from an FCA authorised independent financial adviser and (b) independent legal advice on the terms of the proposed sale and subsequent tenancy agreement
- the homeowner will employ a solicitor to act on their behalf with respect to the sale of their home, and
- the homeowner is not eligible for support under the Home Owners’ Support Fund.
The value of any property to be purchased in this situation must be in line with the terms of the Mortgage to Rent scheme. And the amount of money that a household can retain post sale will also mirror the terms of the Mortgage to Rent scheme.
