Edinburgh’s Temporary Accommodation Crisis: Unlicensed HMOs at Risk of Closure
Edinburgh City Council faces a steep rise in short-term housing needs. Homeless people now live in places without proper licenses, and they may have to leave Edinburgh soon. The deadline is 30 November. The council now works to fix a problem that grew during the Covid-19 outbreak.
The Current Housing Situation
Edinburgh has seen a big jump in homelessness since the Covid-19 crisis. The council moved quickly to use hotels and bed and breakfasts for shelter. Many of these places do not hold a valid HMO licence. This licence helps the law keep track when several people share a home.
About 650 homeless people live in these unlicensed places. Derek McGowan, the Service Director for Housing and Homelessness at the council, shares that roughly 10% of these people might have to move out of the city if safe housing is not found in time.
Alternative Housing Options
McGowan hopes local homes will be enough for everyone. He explains that the council sees around 70 properties in nearby regions, all within 50 miles of Edinburgh. He adds that these options might not be needed, but the council plans for all cases.
“We need to plan for it,” McGowan said. “Right now, we try to use our housing stock on a temporary basis. But we will search for any licensed and proper place in the city.”
The council stresses that any move would be short until more permanent homes in Edinburgh become available.
The Legal Implications
This problem started early in the Covid lockdown. The council set up unlicensed temporary homes when the numbers grew fast. They did carry out safety checks. Still, about 30 landlords did not get the proper HMO licence. This situation now puts the council in a risky legal role. The law requires that all homes meet strict safety and health rules.
The council will stop payments to providers who do not meet licence rules by early December. This move comes from both money matters and the need to follow housing laws.
Addressing the Demand
The council has paused new social housing applications on the EdIndex portal. This site lets homeless people bid for a council house. The system now faces high demand and slow response. Repairs in council housing that are not urgent have been put on hold. The goal is to put empty homes back into use quickly.
So far, 174 empty council homes are now ready to use. Experts expect that, with pending HMO licences approved, 120 more places may come online for the homeless.
Future Developments
Edinburgh City Council looks into a special deal to fix the unlicensed HMO issue. The details of this deal remain private. However, the council shows its strong will to put safe housing in place.
Edinburgh has also seen more visitors from events like Taylor Swift’s concerts. These events bring extra pressure on temporary housing. Many homeless people were moved for a short while, and this shows the financial and legal challenges the city now faces.
Conclusion
Edinburgh now works hard to meet the needs of its homeless people. The council applies quick steps to follow HMO rules and care for those without homes. Local leaders aim for a change before the 30 November deadline.
This ongoing emergency points to bigger issues of urban housing. As the council handles short-term fixes and strict legal rules, citizens must stay aware of city housing rules.
