Edinburgh Council to Relocate Homeless from Unlicensed Temporary Housing

City councillors in Edinburgh have approved a strategy to relocate hundreds of homeless individuals from unlicenced temporary housing by the close of the current month. The City of Edinburgh Council initially supplied numerous rooms in hotels and bed and breakfasts for temporary housing, addressing increased demand following the pandemic’s onset, during which emergency measures were implemented to curb Covid-19 transmission. Nevertheless, over 700 households currently reside in 28 establishments that do not comply with licensing requirements for Houses in Multiple Occupancy (HMO). During an emergency housing committee meeting, councillors resolved to temporarily halt applications for homeless housing and postpone non-urgent repairs. This decision aims to prioritize the relocation of individuals from HMO accommodations to more appropriate dwellings. Legal professionals had previously cautioned the council that it was engaging in a criminal offense by compensating operators who failed to adhere to its mandated health and safety licensing standards. These standards encompass verifying that a landlord is suitable and proper, ensuring tenants receive adequate living conditions, and confirming the provision of an appropriate quantity of bathrooms and toilets – criteria that the majority of hotels and B&Bs are improbable to satisfy. The council is presently undertaking urgent measures with the goal of transferring all city residents currently in unlicensed HMOs to alternative, legally compliant accommodation by early December. These measures involve pausing all new council house allocations until January, with exceptions for disabled individuals or those awaiting hospital discharge, and reallocating additional resources to bring vacant properties back into service. The initial determination to substantially increase the availability of temporary accommodation was made at the commencement of the first Covid lockdown in 2020. During that period, all properties underwent inspections to confirm compliance with safety requirements, and landlords found in violation of regulations were asked to apply for an HMO licence. A report issued last month by Nick Smith, the council’s monitoring officer, indicated that the decision was made “on a balance of risk, considering the public health requirements at the time, as well the need for the landlord to be (or become) registered”. The report noted that while numerous landlords complied, others either declined or took no action. The count of households in temporary housing throughout the capital has increased from 3,570 in 2020 to exceeding 5,000 this year. A House in Multiple Occupancy refers to properties accommodating three or more occupants from distinct households, who share kitchen, toilet, or bathroom amenities with other residents. Property owners are required to obtain a specific HMO licence to legally lease their property under these stipulated conditions. Operating an HMO without a valid licence constitutes a criminal offense. Mr. Smith’s report indicates that the council continues to violate its HMO licensing obligations by persistently supporting homeless households in certain unlicensed properties. The latest housing committee report, which detailed necessary steps to cease the utilization of HMOs, affirmed that “the use of this accommodation was always subject to an exit plan”. The council intends to discontinue payments to unlicensed providers of HMO properties in early December. To facilitate this objective, the council has temporarily halted applications for social housing. EdIndex, Edinburgh’s housing portal utilized by homeless individuals to apply for council housing, enables people to join a waiting list for more permanent housing solutions. Vacant homes are typically advertised online, but the website states that this process has been temporarily suspended owing to “unprecedented pressures”. Non-essential repair work has also been suspended until January to prioritize efforts aimed at returning more void homes to active use. Jane Meagher, Edinburgh City Council’s housing convener, commented: “With greater numbers of people facing homelessness, some of the most expensive private rents in the UK and insufficient funding from the Scottish government to build more homes, the pressures on temporary accommodation are unprecedented.“The stark choice facing us is that we either house people in unlicensed HMOs or people will have to sleep on the streets which no one wants. “We’re in a critical position that means we need to escalate our efforts to address this.” The council reaffirmed that it “urgently needs to move people out of these properties and find alternative temporary accommodation”, outlining its intentions to utilize “existing council stock” and collaborate with housing providers to guarantee that licences conform to regulatory standards. Ms. Meagher stated: “The council leader and I have spoken with senior ministers and the Scottish government recognises that we need to work together on this to make sure everyone facing homelessness in Edinburgh and beyond is supported.” An additional report was contributed by Donald Turvill of the Local Democracy Reporting Service. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content of external websites. Information regarding our approach to external linking is available.