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Zoopla partners with Shelter

February 9, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Zoopla

The economic situation over the past few years in the UK means many families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads. As a result, property website Zoopla.co.uk has today announced a fundraising partnership with national housing and homelessness charity, Shelter, with Zoopla committing to raise at least £25,000 for this cause in 2012. As part of their commitment to make a difference and raise awareness of the issues surrounding bad housing and homelessness, Zoopla will work closely with Shelter to help support their charitable efforts and will participate, donate directly and … [Read more...]

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Scots tenants paying ‘illegal fees’ to letting agents

November 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Edinburgh property values have risen by 509 per cent.

Letting agents across Scotland are making illegal charges to prospective tenants, housing charity Shelter has discovered. Many tenants who took part in a survey were not aware they did not have to pay the extra charges, the charity said. The law currently prohibits prospective tenants being charged "premiums" on top of their deposit and rent in advance. But Shelter said most letting agents surveyed charged a pre-tenancy cost, in some cases up to £180. "This is rip-off Scotland," Shelter Scotland director Graeme Brown told BBC Scotland. "Just at a time when people are desperately … [Read more...]

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Campaigners want action to put 23,000 empty homes back in use

August 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

CAMPAIGNERS have called for urgent action to bring Scotland's 23,000 empty private homes into use to ease the nation's housing crisis. More than 160,000 families, couples and single people are stuck on waiting lists for social housing as properties across the country lie vacant. The Scottish Government plans to consult on introducing legislation that would allow local authorities to scrap the 50 per cent council tax discount on empty homes. It estimates that would raise an extra £30 million a year, which could be put towards affordable housing schemes, and also take away the financial … [Read more...]

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Invest in homes to invest in people

July 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

News that housing conditions are unlikely to improve without more efforts to combat social inequality brings new focus to an existing problem in Scotland (“Equality key to improving housing”, Herald Society, Juy 19) . The country is in the midst of a housing crisis, with 160,000 people on waiting lists for a home. With welfare reforms on the horizon, the situation is very likely to get much worse. While understanding the complex links between housing and social inequality is important in the long-term, what Scotland needs now are more homes. Investment in housing is investment … [Read more...]

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Empty council houses cost £10m in lost rent as waiting lists grow longer

July 19, 2011 By 1 Comment

THOUSANDS of council homes are lying empty across Scotland at a time of chronic pressure on housing waiting lists, it has emerged. The cost to the taxpayer in lost rental income was almost £10 million last year, a Freedom of Information request by The Scotsman has found. The price of lost rents reached nearly £30m in the past three years, with about 5,000 council homes across Scotland lying empty at any one time. Housing leaders warned that the issue must be tackled to address Scotland's shortage of affordable homes. There were 4,715 council houses lying empty in 2010-11 - either as … [Read more...]

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Call made for Scottish Government to prioritise housing

July 14, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Three major housing bodies have joined forces to call on the Scottish Government to make housing a national priority. The Scottish Building Federation, the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and the Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations have issued a joint statement setting out the case for greater investment in Scotland. The three groups say the time is right to invest in affordable rented housing developed by housing associations and co-operatives to meet housing need, which is reaching crisis levels in Scotland. Almost 200,000 households are on … [Read more...]

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BBC accuses letting agents of flouting law

July 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
To Let

An undercover BBC investigation has shown letting agents apparently prepared to flout laws. The probe follows last week’s C4 Landlords from Hell programme, and shows one rental manager who was secretly filmed explaining he could harass problematic tenants by changing locks, calling them all day and lying to the police that they were running a brothel. The housing charity Shelter and the National Association of Estate Agents have condemned the ‘shocking’ practices uncovered by BBC London and are calling for tougher regulation. The investigation showed several agents breaking the … [Read more...]

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Let’s not push first-time property buyers over the edge

May 28, 2011 By Leave a Comment
house in hands

The housing charity Shelter this week claimed that first-time buyers believe mortgage lenders have been irresponsible, encouraging people to borrow more than they can afford to repay. According to Shelter’s research 75% of first-time buyers want tougher regulation forcing banks to lend responsibly – in spite of the fact it will stop some people getting a mortgage. But how much credence should we place on these conclusions from Shelter? Take it with a huge pinch of salt While there is no doubt that some reform of the mortgage market is required, there hasn’t been widespread … [Read more...]

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