Opinion

Stephen Boyle, the Auditor General for Scotland and Sheila Gunn, member of the Accounts Commission, have called for action on the levels of homelessness in Scotland. Having a safe, secure, affordable home is not a luxury. It’s a fundamental necessity.

Langstane Housing Association housing officer Tom Phillips shares his experience and some of the challenges he faced while working full time and studying for CIH Level 4 in Housing in the hope that he can encourage others to pursue further learning. Have you ever considered advancing your

At our times of greatest need – whether personally or in our communities – it’s very often charities who are there for us. We place our faith in them. In doing so, it’s so important that we trust those to whom we turn, writes Helen Kidd. Trust in our charities is, of course,

Employment law specialists Caroline Carr and Katie Hendry highlight the key consideration to be addressed by housing associations when dealing with settlement agreements. As employment lawyers, we regularly receive instructions (from employees and businesses) to advise on exits, “protected con

New Clyde Gateway chief executive Martin McKay outlines his future vision for the area, particularly in relation to achieving net zero, and reveals how the green transition also presents an opportunity for job creation, economic growth, and sustainable development, whilst addressing climate cha

Chris Dougray, executive director at CBRE Scotland, provides his take on whether rent controls are a good or bad thing for the housing market. Over the last four decades, the number of homes in Scotland has increased by 34% to 2.65m (in 2020). Within the Scottish housing market, 15% of househol

Albyn Housing Society group chief executive Kirsty Morrison reveals how the social housing provider's Fit Homes are helping people to live independently throughout the Highlands. Technology and data are not just altering the way we drive, do our jobs, and go shopping. They are also transforming soci

CIH policy advisor John Perry provides a Scotland-focused overview of the UK Housing Review.

Shelter Scotland director Alison Watson reflects on the appointment of the new housing minister, the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group report and looks forward to what it means for the charity's work. Paul McLennan, the new housing minister in Humza Yousaf's government, has his work cut

Julie McDowell, chair of Blackwood Homes and Care, shares the housing provider's experience in adopting the Sustainability Reporting Standard for Social Housing (SRS) to support its Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting in the social housing sector. At Blackwood, we recognise that go

Neil Kirk discusses the unintended consequences of rent freezes in Scotland, which have negatively impacted tenants, caused a shortage of rental properties, and deterred investment in the residential property sector. During a cost-of-living crisis, it might be difficult to feel sympathy for landlord

Steph Elliot, the Technology Enabled Care in Housing (TECH) lead at the SFHA, continues the SFHA TECH column with a call for housing associations to ensure their staff are suitably skilled in digital technologies.

Craig Sanderson, former chief executive of Link Housing and member of the Edinburgh Poverty Commission, addresses some key issues regarding the Scottish Government’s National Planning Framework 4 (NPF4) document. He highlights the lack of attention paid to infrastructure and the need for a red

Crisis senior best practice officer Niamh Kerr on adopting gender-informed practices to end homelessness for women in Scotland.

Jimmy Black warms to the government’s plans for passive houses. I may have groaned when I heard that all new homes are to be ‘passive houses’, complying with a strict standard covering airtightness and energy use. I thought… here’s another green inspired policy lunge w