Rural housing heading for a crisis warns expert
A warning that a potential housing crisis for those living and working in Scotland’s rural areas could be on the cards was made this week.
And while the escalating costs of buying homes in rural areas has long been recognised, countryside living may become impossible for many because of significant increases in the costs of maintaining rental property or the sheer lack of available rental homes, according to land agents, Bell Ingram.
The firm’s Catherine Smith said: “Despite the obvious positives that have come from stricter legislation around renting property privately, it may leave the rural areas of Scotland worse off in the long run.”
She said that the number of private rental properties had been depleted in rural Scotland with the introduction of legislation around maintenance and testing standards, energy efficiency and the new Private Rented Tenancy (PRT).
“While these new regulations provide greater security for tenants themselves, they are driving up
costs for landlords – which could leave the countryside property landscape looking bleak,” said Smith.
“There is an ongoing requirement for people to live and work in the countryside and a greater need for rental property than ever in the current housing climate.
“The PRT has reduced the flexibility of rental property, which is absolutely key for some farms and estates that require homes for employees.”
Upcoming changes to Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) standards, although staggered, would mean that from March 2025, all let properties would require a minimum rating of band D – a move
which Smith said was likely to require work to most, if not all traditional rural properties.
Other than renting out a property, other options could include selling or diversifying to a holiday home – but Smith said both of these options would deprive the countryside of locally-based individuals to drive the economy and might not suit estate or farm owners.
“There is no one option that will work for all estates or farms and a full assessment of the surplus residential properties should be completed before making any decisions on the best way to move forward.”