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Call to end housing trap
Thousands remain in insecure housing,
Thousands of families are refused housing in Scotland every year because of unfair and inflexible rules, says campaign group Shelter Scotland.
It is now calling for the Scottish Executive to produce a clear set of guidelines for landlords to work to.
Shelter says many Scots are caught in a dead end of expensive and insecure housing as landlords use inconsistent and arbitrary rules to prevent them from joining a waiting list.
It is now calling for the Scottish Executive to produce a clear set of guidelines for landlords to work to.
Shelter says many Scots are caught in a dead end of expensive and insecure housing as landlords use inconsistent and arbitrary rules to prevent them from joining a waiting list.
 Excluding people from housing should be treated with the same seriousness and concern as excluding children from school or denying people access to health services.  |
Alan Ferguson |
New research from Shelter and the Chartered Institute of Housing shows that more than 30,000 families and single people are excluded from housing waiting lists every year, leaving them no chance of getting a council or housing association home.
The report warns that plans for common housing registers, which allow landlords in an area to select from one list, could make the problem worse.
Households are excluded from lists because of past rent arrears, problems with neighbours or simply because they have turned down previous offers of accommodation.
Shelter Scotland says that rent arrears are frequently errors of benefit payment, while friction with neighbours is often suspected but not proven.
The organisation says that people can have genuine reasons for refusing offers of housing and that many landlords allow no discretion to consider individual circumstances.
Shelter Scotland director Liz Nicholson said: "The Scottish Executive's commitment to an inclusive society is untenable while vulnerable families and single people are locked out of social housing.
"If someone has been excluded from a waiting list in one area it is extremely unlikely they will be accepted on a list in another.
Homelessness risk
"The reality is that people are then banished into a twilight world, where they have no chance of getting a secure home.
"Their best option is poor quality, insecure private housing and their worst is homelessness."
Alan Ferguson, director of the Chartered Institute of Housing, said: "Excluding people from housing should be treated with the same seriousness and concern as excluding children from school or denying people access to health services.
"It should be the option of last resort. Government needs to provide a clear set of statutory guidelines for landlords to work to."
The report warns that plans for common housing registers, which allow landlords in an area to select from one list, could make the problem worse.
Households are excluded from lists because of past rent arrears, problems with neighbours or simply because they have turned down previous offers of accommodation.
Shelter Scotland says that rent arrears are frequently errors of benefit payment, while friction with neighbours is often suspected but not proven.
 Neighbour problems are often cited |
Shelter Scotland director Liz Nicholson said: "The Scottish Executive's commitment to an inclusive society is untenable while vulnerable families and single people are locked out of social housing.
"If someone has been excluded from a waiting list in one area it is extremely unlikely they will be accepted on a list in another.
Homelessness risk
"The reality is that people are then banished into a twilight world, where they have no chance of getting a secure home.
"Their best option is poor quality, insecure private housing and their worst is homelessness."
Alan Ferguson, director of the Chartered Institute of Housing, said: "Excluding people from housing should be treated with the same seriousness and concern as excluding children from school or denying people access to health services.
"It should be the option of last resort. Government needs to provide a clear set of statutory guidelines for landlords to work to."
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