Nicola Sturgeon confirms intention to extend eviction ban to March next year

Nicola Sturgeon confirms intention to extend eviction ban to March next year

10:08 AM, 13th August 2020, About 4 years ago 15

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Responding to a question yesterday from Patrick Harvie, MSP and Scottish Greens’ co-leader, Nicola Sturgeon confirmed tenants should not be evicted for falling into arrears due to financial difficulties caused by Covid-19 and that the ban on evictions should be extended to March 2021.

The First Minister said: “The emergency legislation which we passed through this parliament in effect halted eviction action for up to six months, so he talks about applications, but no people can be evicted.

“That emergency legislation is currently in place until September 30 and yesterday we confirmed, subject to the agreement of parliament, that it will be extended to March 2021 which I think underlines the continuing commitment of the government to do everything we can to protect tenants and also prevent people becoming homeless as a result of this pandemic.”

“We continue to work with tenant and landlord stakeholder groups to ensure that those issues are properly explored. Our clear intention is to ensure that nobody is evicted as a result of the crisis that we are living through.”

The First Minister indicated that if the Greens support the SNP plan then it would go through parliament and no-one would be evicted over the winter.

The Extension will still need to go through the Scottish Parliament, but the early announcement may suggest this is going to be a formality and has unsurprisingly been wholeheartedly welcomed by Shelter who said: “Today’s decision is a big win for tenants and for Shelter Scotland’s campaign. We want to thank our supporters who emailed their MSPs to demand action, and key organisations across Scotland who pushed for this outcome.”


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Comments

Hardworking Landlord

10:29 AM, 14th August 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Jaye at 13/08/2020 - 17:13
Jaye, Just to let you know I was in the same position. You can go online and apply for a direct payment of the housing element of UC. In my case its not much but its something...

Beaver

11:18 AM, 14th August 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 13/08/2020 - 13:52I have a friend who works in local government, openly admits that she struggles to concentrate at home and went back to the office as soon as she could. Still isn't doing the hours though and doesn't seem under much pressure.

I have worked with a colleague in the charitable sector who has had to work extremely long hours from home because of the numbers of other staff who had to be furloughed. People in the charitable sector don't have the same job security as those in the public sector and many would be concerned about their jobs, or those of their furloughed colleagues.
I was having another conversation two weeks ago with another friend who works in the public sector about how concerned I was over how either this government or subsequent governments are going to pay for what's been done given that the bulk of the country's wealth is in housing stock and pensions and I was concerned that the government would attack pensions. My friend's answer was, "...I don't care who pays for my pension as long as I don't have to."
During the lockdown I have had some friends who have said that they have been able to do more work as a consequence of being able to work from home and not have the commute, but it's a mixed bag. Generally my impression is that "...working from home...." has been a euphemism for "...taking additional paid leave."

Steven

13:55 PM, 14th August 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 14/08/2020 - 11:18My experience too Beaver. Without the private sector there would be no taxes; without taxes there would be no public sector. End of. Sadly however the private sector is usually vilified for chasing profit (a dirty word in the UK) whereas our public sector "servants" are lauded for their service to the public (as if they were providing it for free). Their pensions by the way are usually final salary, which typically will require funding of £25,000-£30,000 for every £1,000 per annum of pension promised, meaning a public sector employee retiring on a pension of £25,000 per annum will have a pension fund of approximately £625,000 to £750,000 to pay for it. All funded out of taxes, and taxes ultimately only come from the private sector. Who pays for the private sector pensions? The private sector (you know, the bad guys...)

Jaye

19:48 PM, 14th August 2020, About 4 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Hardworking Landlord at 14/08/2020 - 10:29
I tried direct payments but the rouge tenant disputed it, keeps lying and making up different stories to U.C. Unfortunately, it seems like U.C. prefers to listen to tenant's lies rather than landlords words despite possible fraud committed by the tenant. Very Frustrating!

AMAZONIA STARBUCK

23:56 PM, 14th August 2020, About 4 years ago

Why do the headline grabbers solutions always come down to "free accomodation"?
Shelter create homelessness it's their reason to exist, with their student union unworkable policies they will ultimately create more homelessness.
How long before landlords are being evicted because they can't pay their mortgages.Its ok because Shelter will tell them to stay put ,housing is free,no need to trouble yourself with payments, that's a mugs game.
As for the SNP, they are fiddling whilst Rome burns,they are behaving like North Korea, stifling any criticism at every turn.
Economics of the madhouse seems to be in vogue,meanwhile the bad tenants can continue ruining neighbours lives and wrecking houses with government sanctioned impunity.

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