Edinburgh's Local Housing Strategy
Chapter Two - Support private renters, homeowners and landlords
This chapter covers the private rented sector; build to rent; housing for students; short-term lets; owner occupied housing; empty homes; second homes; co-operatives and self-build.
Our proposed strategic objective is to support households living in privately owned homes, whether rented or homeownership, to ensure everyone has access to well-managed, high-quality housing.
Read the high-level actions we propose to take
- Continue to improve the operation of the Private Rented Sector through landlord registration, licensing and enforcement
- Consider ways to improve the provision of guidance and support for landlords and tenants. (To include guidance on legislation on letting and renting properties, and providing clear communication on how the council can support tenants who have a dispute with landlords.)
- Review and support housing provision for students, working with Universities, student body representatives and the Scottish Government. (To include further data investigation and consideration of how information and advice for students could be improved)
- Refresh the Council’s ‘Scheme of Assistance’ information, providing updated advice and guidance for home-owners on how to improve, maintain and repair their home
- Within Council led mixed-tenure improvement programme areas - Continue to pro-actively support and advise home-owners and other residents on how to fund required home improvements.
- Reduce the number of privately owned empty homes to bring them back into effective use including increased use of the Private Sector Leasing Scheme to link homeless households to empty homes and exploring the potential to use Compulsory Purchase Orders.
- Explore potential ways for new Co-operative housing ventures, such as student housing co-operatives, to be supported.
- Work with universities and the private rented sector to increase the availability of affordable housing for students and reduce risk of student homelessness