Council urges landlords to help amid housing emergency in Scotland

“Scotland is facing a housing crisis, and it will only be resolved with all stakeholders, including the private rented sector, playing their part through initiatives like this.”

I’m sure many a Scottish landlord would have helped had not the Scottish government pounced on the PRS, shook them like a rag doll, took almost every last penny from them, considered Landlords demons and Tenants angels and generally still consider PRS an inconvenience that must be taken over for the better good of society.

The first sentence in this paragraph says: “…The council has launched a partnership encouraging landlords to offer properties for short-term use…”

My understanding is that under the Renters Rights Act landlords can’t offer properties for short term use.

“landlords retaining control over repairs and maintenance issues.” With a potential high turnover of probably not the best tenants, sounds like it could be expensive.

when ideological clap trap meets a hard reality face slap.

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 18/02/2026 – 12:23
I have previously let to tenants on a six-month let (because they had been flooded out) but my understanding is that under the Renters Rights Act I would not be permitted to do this, regardless of whether I wanted to enter into a contract where I could be unsure how much rent might be paid or when I might be able to raise it, whilst still remaining liable for maintenance and repairs.

The SNP in Scotland has previously applied rent controls and the effect of these controls was that landlords had to increase rents for any new tenancy just in case they were unable to do it later. I cannot see how renting to a council on some kind of rolling basis for homeless people could possibly be sustainable.

If UK governments, local, national or devolved, wanted to do this kind of thing then it seems to me that they should not be applying restrictions to the market because all that this means is that the market is unable to respond to demand.

ha bloody ha.Let them stew in their own juice.

Reply to the comment left by David at 18/02/2026 – 15:59
If you follow ivory tower politics by increasing employers NI, lowering the level at which it is paid, give employees employment rights from day one, possibly give all adults the same rights to the minimum wage regardless of age or experience you create unintended consequences. In the case of the above the people that get most hurt are those on the margins…care-leavers, single mums, those who have no work experience etc.

And if you follow ivory-tower politics in the rental market you find that the market cannot respond to demand in the rental market. In just the same way it’s the people on the margins who will suffer the most; it’s not the renters with one or two big incomes, a good credit-rating and a good track record. It is the people on the margins who suffer from having governments with next to no business experience or ability and too much arrogance to listen to the voice of experience.

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 18/02/2026 – 16:07
Let’s tell it like it is.You include single mums.I worked with a woman from Scotland who said so many of the girls she schooled with in Scotland had a career lined up, become pregnant for as long as possible and get freebies from the day they left school until they retired and I don’t think this applies to just Scotland.You didn’t include retired people and every time this government increases the minimum wage, increases employers NI etc and it not only hits the employee, who believes they are gaining, but is a double whammy on retirees.
It’s not for landlords to sort out the problem, especially after all they have had thrown at them, it’s the Scottish government.Perhaps one day landlord’s will be vindicated.

They could easily make renting more affordable by reversing the raft of ridiculous punitive taxes and other disincentives of recent years and generally de-risking the PRS. And ceasing their general antipathy towards the sector.

Except of course even with all that it will take years for landlords to drop their well-justified caution towards subprime tenants and government in general.

I needed something to amuse me this weekend, and this approach by a Scottish Council certainly fits the bill. I have worked with councils in the past and every encounter has been disastrous; never again.