Edinburgh’s Approach to Temporary Homelessness Accommodation: Changes Ahead
The City of Edinburgh Council prepares a big change in its way of giving temporary homes to homeless people. The Council may need to send some residents outside the city. This move follows years of using unlicensed homes during the Covid crisis, a choice that has grown harder to justify.
Unlicensed Accommodation: A Growing Issue
Today, about 650 people in Edinburgh live in homes that lack a House in Multiple Occupation licence. This licence is needed for buildings used as long-term homes. After the pandemic, the Council booked many hotel rooms and bed-and-breakfast spots to shelter homeless people. This plan now seems unsustainable and may break legal rules.
Derek McGowan, Housing and Homelessness Service Director at the Council, warned of the problem. He noted that if enough licensed homes do not open by the end of November, the Council plans to move 10% of these residents to other areas.
The Immediate Plan: Finding Answers
The Council has received about 70 property proposals from nearby localities, each within 50 miles of Edinburgh. McGowan hopes the city can keep most residents close to home. He said, "I would say I’m confident… there will be a place for everyone affected by this to stay." The plan is to use licensed homes and speed up transfers when a short-term fix is needed. The aim is to let individuals return to Edinburgh as soon as possible.
Legal and Ethical Implications
The use of unlicensed homes began during the pandemic to shelter more people fast. Now, current rules make this approach risky. As costs rise and legal problems grow, the Council will stop paying the providers in early December. Supporting homes that do not meet health and safety rules may even break the law.
The Council has paused new social housing applications. The Edinburgh housing portal, EdIndex, now sits on hold because of high pressure. Non-essential repairs are delayed until January so that efforts focus on fixing vacant homes. Recently, 174 empty council homes returned to use, and about 120 more spots may open soon as current unlicensed providers seek a proper licence.
Looking Towards the Future
The Council will soon reopen the EdIndex portal and is talking over a sensitive deal to fix the issue of unlicensed homes. The need for a fix grows each day, as shown by the recent increase of people needing a place during Taylor Swift’s concerts in Edinburgh.
This matter touches more than the homeless. Those with ties to the HMO market must watch this story closely. The new rules affect both homeless residents and property investors in Edinburgh.
Conclusion
Edinburgh now stands at a turning point. The Council works to follow legal rules while giving proper homes to those in need. The next steps will shape how temporary housing works in the city and may bring more changes to the HMO market. Property holders should keep an eye on these updates as the situation grows.
For more news and updates, check out these resources on housing rules and strategies for homelessness in Scotland: BBC News and Scottish Government.
