Scottish landlords urge investment in PRS as homelessness soars

The number of rough sleepers and homelessness in Scotland has doubled, according to new figures.

Data by the Scottish government reveals homelessness has gone up nearly 20%, and the number of children in temporary accommodation has gone up 26%, the highest level since numbers began.

The Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) is calling on the government to invest in the private rented sector to encourage landlords to grow their portfolios and reduce homelessness.

Government should be encouraging investment from landlords

According to the findings, there were more than 17,000 households in Scotland assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness.

More than 18,000 households and 10,000 children were stuck in temporary accommodation and more than 2,000 reported a household member experiencing rough sleeping, a 16% rise compared to 2024.

Scottish Association of Landlords chief executive, John Blackwood, said the figures show the government must do more to tackle Scotland’s housing emergency and support landlords.

He told Property118: “Nobody welcomes rises in the numbers of people sleeping rough or being homeless and any such increase is deeply concerning.

“There are many levers available, across all tiers of government, that can be used to bring down homelessness, including getting empty homes back into use and encouraging a healthy housing market.

“We in the private rented sector very much have our part to play, which is why the government should be encouraging investment from landlords interested in growing their portfolios and providing more homes for people to live in.”

Last week, the Scottish government announced that a new national housing agency to tackle the housing crisis would come into effect in 2028.

More Homes Scotland would focus on building large-scale, affordable housing projects and rural and island housing.