Discussions around the meaning of professionalism and the importance of qualifications in the housing and property sector never dissipates, now, on the back of mandatory qualifications for those working in social housing in England being introduced, could this be the start of ‘professionalism’ in the sector for all of the UK? Earlier this year, Michael …
Read more >In response to the Scottish Government’s consultation on increasing council tax premiums for second and empty homes, Propertymark members in a recent survey said they strongly oppose the proposal. Instead, incentives should be provided to homeowners to make vacant homes more productive and help combat the ever-growing gap in supply and demand. According to the …
Read more >Brexit has ushered in a period of significant change for the United Kingdom, including Scotland. Among many other sectors, it has affected the rental market in various ways, some anticipated, others unforeseen. This blog aims to unravel some of the critical impacts Brexit has had on Scotland’s rental market. Challenges To start, the uncertainty surrounding …
Read more >Tenants, not buildings, need to be at the centre of the housing debate in Scotland. Too often discussions revolve around figures – number of homes, number of sites, financial statistics and sometimes meaningless targets and key performance indicators (KPI). The only KPI for those in the sector ultimately worth achieving should be the safety, happiness …
Read more >Patrick Harvie said in January he would seek to extend the cost of living legislation that includes Scotland’s rent cap and moratorium on evictions. Following the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee’s scrutiny of the proposals to amend the Cost of Living Act, and a majority vote, the Scottish Parliament passed the amended regulations on …
Read more >Writer Samuel Johnson once said that the next best thing to knowing something, was knowing where to find it. Of course, in the 18th century when he first mentioned this there was no Google to act as that instant fountain of all knowledge. Perhaps the nearest thing to it was Johnson’s own dictionary of the …
Read more >
