Opinion

Kathie Pollard, policy officer at the Scottish Land Commission, explores how a new framework can help decision-makers assess the impact of vacant and derelict land (VDL) sites on their local communities. "This land can have a profound effect on the wellbeing of locals:” Darren McGarvey –

Alastair Johnston, a senior solicitor at Harper Macleod, reviews an Upper Tribunal appeal case and highlights the lessons it provides regarding tenant evictions. The Upper Tribunal has recently published its decision in an appeal case which involved a novel approach by a landlord who was perhaps a l

Rachel Bell, a solicitor from Harper Macleod, provides social landlords with tips on how to handle the rising threat of cyber-attacks. Cyber-attacks are a persistent and very real threat to all business sectors across the UK. Social landlords are particularly at risk because of the large amount of p

With the Scottish Land Commission being asked to advise the Scottish Government on the establishment of regional land use partnerships, chief executive Hamish Trench looks at what the body will need to consider. The Scottish Land Commission is shaping a coherent programme of land reform spanning urb

Celeste, a volunteer with Homeless Network Scotland, highlights the new ‘All In for Change’ project that the charity is working on with its partners ahead of the first drop-in session next week.

Housing is a multi-faceted career that can really make a difference, changing people’s lives for the better, says Martin Armstrong. It seems like a long time since I took my first steps in my housing career as a young housing officer in West Yorkshire. But I was reminded of my first day in the

Ahead of the Homes for Scotland annual conference, Nicola Barclay discusses the need for housing, the social and economic benefits of home building and the constraints facing the industry. For the first time since 2008 and the global recession, housing completions in Scotland have exceeded 20,000 pe

Housing consultant Anna Evans provides a summary of independent research undertaken by Indigo House on the impact of short-term lets on communities across Scotland. The research assessed the positive and negative impacts of short-term lets – those advertised through platforms such as Airbnb, B

Rents matter – a lot. But things might be getting a bit out of proportion, writes David Bookbinder. Keeping rents as affordable as possible, and providing as much new social housing as we can for years into the future, are the most critical contributions our sector can make to helping tackle p

Shelter Scotland’s Gordon MacRae argues that new funding for winter night shelters is a symbol of a failed homelessness system. Dear Editor

Surveyor Tom Laurie talks about the many, but perhaps little known, exceptions that exist for Home Reports. Home Reports, now a wholly accepted part of Scotland’s residential property landscape, celebrated their tenth anniversary late last year. But, remarkably enough, there remains a signific

Prime-site developer Queensberry Properties’ design and technical manager, Kirsty Henderson, examines how the continual evolution of architecture provides a fascinating glimpse into how our lives and expectations have changed over time. Architecture has always played a critical role in both sh

Harper Macleod’s Jennifer Jack discusses the COSLA conference taking place in St Andrews this week and the powers local authorities have to get empty homes back into use. COSLA's 2019 Annual Conference takes place today and tomorrow (10 & 11 October), looking at local government issues 20

Dr Jamie Stewart, energy policy manager at Citizens Advice Scotland, discusses why the mass installation of smart meters in homes should be stalled.

Sustainable housing can alleviate fuel poverty, therefore, the higher upfront costs should not rule out the use of energy-efficient materials, argues Scotframe’s Malcolm Thomson. Hands up if you’ve heard about the urgent need for new homes? Chances are most of the business community have