FOI/202400438694 · FOI · released
Minister for Housing correspondence and empty homes statistics: FOI release
Information requested
1. Could you supply minutes/notes from all of Paul McLennan's meetings with property developers from the last three months?
2. Could you supply all briefings written by the Scottish Government and correspondence received from councils about housing emergencies in the last six months?
3. How many homes in Scotland are registered empty now, and at the end of 2021, 2022 and 2023? Breakdown by year and region.
4. How much has it cost the Scottish Government to advertise the rent freeze and rent controls, with a breakdown of these costs?
Response
I enclose a copy of most of the information you requested. Given the range of questions, this information has been provided in various formats which are outlined, alongside the answers to your requests, below.
1. Could you supply minutes/notes from all of Paul McLennan's meetings with property developers from the last three months?
I enclose a copy of each of the available minutes/notes from Mr McLennan’s meetings with Property Developers over the last three months as detailed in the table. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance, we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because 38(1)(b) – personal data relating to third party of FOISA applies to that information. In addition, some of the information in the documents has not been provided as it does not constitute “minutes/notes from Mr McLennan’s meetings with property developers" and so is outwith the scope of your request.
Date Meeting 26/08/2024 Visit: Moray Council/ Springfield Affordable Housing Development at Aberlour 11/09/2024 Wheatley Housing Group Photocall at West Craigs - 7000th Handover 25/09/2024 Wheatley Group Board Members Event 26/09/2024 Site Visit: Thriving Investments MMR Development at Maxwell Road
2. Could you supply all briefings written by the Scottish Government and correspondence received from councils about housing emergencies in the last six months?
I enclose a copy of some of the information you requested. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance, we are unable to provide some of the information you have requested because 30(b)(i) - free and frank provision of advice and 38(1)(b) – personal data relating to third party of FOISA applies to that information. In addition, some of the information in the documents has not been provided as it does not constitute "briefings, or correspondence from Local Authorities regarding the housing emergency" and so is outwith the scope of your request.
3. How many homes in Scotland are registered empty now, and at the end of 2021, 2022 and 2023? Breakdown by year and region.
The Scottish Government publishes empty property statistics on an annual basis, with data presented as of September each year. The latest data for each local authority is for 2023, and can be found here alongside 2021 and 2022 data: Housing statistics: Empty properties and second homes - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).
4. How much has it cost the Scottish Government to advertise the rent freeze and rent controls, with a breakdown of these costs?
The Scottish Government have had a number of marketing campaigns on existing tenants’ rights in the Private Renting Sector (PRS) aimed at helping private tenants understand their rights, including protection from rent increases, increasing awareness of the temporary legislation around this. These focused primarily on low income private tenants who are less likely to know their rights or might know their rights but feel unable to exercise them. The costs associated with each of the campaigns are found in the table below.
Date Campaign aim Cost September-November 2023 Renters Rights Campaign - as part of the Cost of Living campaign to support the delivery of the Scottish Government’s response to the Cost of Living (CoL) crisis. £100,000 August 2023 Tenants’ Rights Awareness Raising Campaign in Collaboration with Young Scot - campaign to increase young people’s awareness of their rights when renting a property in the private rented sector. £18,880.80 March 2024 Renters Rights Campaign - to remind private tenants they still have rights, even as the current rules after the temporary Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022 protections end. £80,000
About FOI
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