The coronavirus pandemic has placed the spotlight firmly on Scotland’s housing crisis. Hundreds of thousands of tenants across the country have been confronted not just with a health crisis, but a financial one too: as people’s workplaces close their doors, rent becomes unaffordable. That is why Living Rent is calling for an urgent ban on evictions and non-repayable ‘rent holidays’ for all tenants affected by the pandemic.   Continue reading

Yesterday, the UK government announced a ban on all evictions in England during the coronavirus pandemic. [1] They also announced measures to help tenants who aren’t able to afford their rent. But so far, the Scottish government hasn't made the same commitments. [2] Continue reading

  Read our full statement on the coronavirus and how we are taking measures to protect our members while calling on the Scottish Government to protect tenants across Scotland. Continue reading

NEWS: Tenants’ group shuts down property investment workshop Tenants’ Union Living Rent organised the protest against what they describe as “parasitic housing practices” The event was cancelled after protesters inside challenged the organisers on the “morality” of what they were doing Protesters from Living Rent, Scotland’s tenants’ union, this week (27/2) shut down a property investment workshop hosted by BBC’s Martin Roberts, of Homes Under the Hammer fame. The event boasted that it would teach landlords to “maximise their profits”, “make money while they sleep,” and “live the life they deserved”, but the protesters say that this means driving up rents and forcing tenants into poverty. Around fifty protesters gathered outside, chanting and flyering members of the public, while a number of protesters inside the event challenged the organisers over the consequences of this approach to housing. After roughly 30 minutes, the organisers called off the event and attendees were ushered out. The union say these sorts of events underline the need for the Scottish Government to introduce rent controls, which they say are necessary to stop tenants being forced into poverty by “sky-high rents.” Eve Rogers, one of the protesters inside, said:“The presenters point-blank refused to face up to questions about how their parasitic, speculative pursuit of profit are directly linked to the housing crisis. These people want to make fortunes while they sleep, but they can’t pretend that there are no ethical questions behind what they’re doing. Nor can they expect tenants to simply sit back and let it happen while our lives are made a misery. This approach -  treating a house as some kind of investment, rather than as a home for people to live in - is the root cause of so much homelessness, poverty, and shocking living conditions. But housing is a fundamental right, and that’s why we’re demanding the government introduce rent controls across the country.”

Across Scotland, but particularly in Edinburgh and the Highlands, more and more housing is being used as holiday accommodation for growing numbers of tourists. Due to the housing crisis, Living Rent has long-held that these properties should first and foremost be long-term affordable homes rather than holiday lets. Continue reading

In September 2019, Serco’s Home Office contract to house asylum seekers came to an end, in part as a result of the pressure exerted by public campaigning led by a coalition of refugee and asylum seeker advocacy groups, of which Living Rent was part. Mears Group secured the tender for the new contract and, despite mass public outrage at Serco’s handling of the situation, still failed to find a solution to house the 300 tenants under threat, enabling Serco to carry out evictions.  As Living Rent had established in 2018 when this issue first arose, members of Living Rent Glasgow were committed to resisting this policy of forced destitution, and we launched a summer offensive campaign of direct action to defend our neighbours and communities.This fight continues, led by the No Eviction network, see here.   Continue reading

In 2003, Glasgow City Council transferred all of it's council housing stock to housing associations, eviscerating public housing and clearing a path for mass privatisation and demolition in the name of democratisation and modernisation. Continue reading

The Govan branch of Living Rent Tenants’ Union and cleansing workers from GMB Union smell a rat. While the council dithers and delays, council-tax-paying tenants and residents in Govan, and across Glasgow, are facing mountains of rubbish on their doorsteps, backcourts and streets. Continue reading

We locked-in Glasgow City Council today, delivering a letter to Council Leader Susan Aitken demanding they provide accommodation for the 300 affected asylum seekers.  Continue reading

Keep yer Paws aff the Shaws! Read the mission statement from the growing branch of Living Rent in Pollokshaws as they move forward to the next stage of their organising drive. Continue reading