The Herald - The Herald Magazine
THE VOICE OF PROPERTY
AS one of Scotland’s leading letting agencies, Galbraith has voiced concern over the lack of balance in the Scottish Government’s approach to private landlords. According to the firm the complete moratorium on evictions has been extended to 30 September 2023, meaning landlords have very few options to obtain vacant possession of their properties, including such circumstances as non-payment of rent or when the relationship between the tenant and the landlord has broken down.
In addition, private sector rents cannot be raised until July at the earliest (with notice given in April), with any rent increases proposed to be capped at three per cent. A rent freeze has already been in place since September 2022.
Marsaili Macleod, lettings manager for Galbraith in Inverness, says the government’s approach is out of kilter: “Most buy-to-let investments are funded through borrowing, and landlords rely on the rental income to cover the cost of their mortgage repayments as well as to fund improvements to their property. Landlords typically make a significant investment in their rental property year on year to ensure it is properly maintained.
“We feel there is a distinct lack of balance currently and the Scottish government has not necessarily appreciated the benefits of a thriving private rental sector. The government’s own research found that 94 per cent of tenants were ‘very’ or ‘fairly satisfied’ with their rental property, so why has there been such a degree of intervention in the market? Policy should be formulated in a way that allows proper protection for tenants without discouraging investment by existing landlords.”
CRUDEN Homes, part of the Cruden Group, has received planning permission to build 122 new homes for sale in the heart of west Edinburgh. The development forms part of the West Craigs Masterplan – a growing new community between Barnton and The Gyle. Once completed, West Craigs will include at least 1,700 new homes, a new primary school, nursery, health centre, café, extensive parkland and woodland, and a network of cycle routes that feed into Edinburgh’s Green Corridor.
Designed by ISA Architecture & Design, the range of energyefficient new homes features one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments (many with balconies), along with three-and four-bedroom terraced and semi-detached houses and townhouses, all with private gardens. The development will also provide communal electric vehicle charging points and break out garden spaces with BBQ and seating areas for the apartments.
Work is due to start on site this spring and the first phase of homes is anticipated to be completed by early 2024.
A LANDMARK car dealership site on the south side of Glasgow has been approved for a block of 55 flats for social rent. Situated on the corner of Pollokshaws Road and Nithsdale Drive, Arnold Clark’s Vauxhall showroom and service facility will be replaced by one, two and three-bedroomed flats delivered by AS Homes (Scotland) and Southside Housing Association.