Edinburgh Council Agrees Urgent Plan to Relocate Homeless Individuals from Unlicensed Accommodation
Edinburgh Council acts now. The council must help people. It moves people from unlicensed places. Homeless individuals face unsafe rooms. The move puts them into safe homes. Rising demand for homeless help pushes this decision.
Background of the Crisis
The council set up rooms since Covid-19 began. They used hotels and bed-and-breakfast sites. Covid made many use these places. More than 700 households now live in 28 unlicensed spots. These spots do not meet rules for shared homes.
Rules exist to keep people safe. Landlords must give proper rooms and clean areas. Many hotels and B&B sites fail these tests. The council runs into legal risks when they pay operators who break these rules.
Council’s Emergency Measures
A housing team meets to fix the crisis. The team stops new calls for housing. It also stops non-essential repairs. This step frees funds to move people into safe homes by December 2023. Past legal advice warned council risks. The team acts fast. Council officer Nick Smith shows that the law asks the council to stop help in unsafe rooms. The report shows that some landlords work by the rules. Still, some do not register as they must.
Rising Numbers of Households in Need
The number of households in temporary rooms now grows. In 2020, there were 3,570 households. Recently, the count is over 5,000. The rise shows the limits of Edinburgh’s market. Private rents are among the highest in the UK.
Rules ask for licensed shared homes. Landlords must show they can care for tenants well. Running a home without a licence is against UK law.
The Path Forward
The council stops payments to operators by early December. It also pauses new council home assignments until January. The pause skips those who need help fast. This group includes people who are disabled or leave hospitals.
A hold also stops ads about empty homes on the EdIndex portal. Homeless people use the portal to seek stable rooms. Jane Meagher, the housing lead, says, “Our choice is clear. We can give people safe rooms or they must sleep on the streets.”
The council works with housing providers. They seek safe temporary rooms. “We must move people from bad homes and find better spots,” Meagher says.
Conclusion
The council steps in to ease the homeless crisis. The plan moves people from unlicensed rooms to safe spaces. It meets rising need and follows housing law. As the plan grows, cooperation with groups and housing providers will help move people into secure and legal homes.
Sources:
- City of Edinburgh Council: Recent Housing Reports and Decisions
- Scottish Government Housing Policies and Guidelines
- The Guardian: Reports on Homelessness and Housing Regulations
- BBC News: Analysis on Temporary Accommodation Solutions
