Tuesday 18 December 2012

Shelter Scotland and STUC endorse 'No eviction for bedroom tax' campaign

GLC is delighted that Shelter Scotland and the STUC have endorsed the principles of the 'No eviction for bedroom tax' campaign, which is already supported by local tenants and residents in Glasgow, following two public meetings in Govan.

GLC had suggested the need for urgent minor law reform amendment to implement a 'No eviction for bedroom tax' policy in Scotland, upon the basis the bedroom tax cuts would be affecting tenants within 4 months or so, and Scotland needed a new safety net otherwise we would be unable to prevent evictions based on rent arrears caused by the bedroom tax.

Many defended eviction actions in court can often turn on £3.55 per week payments to arrears, and with £12 to £22 per week being deducted from housing benefit it could become almost impossible to defend such eviction actions in the near future.

GLC has suggested bedroom tax rent arrears could be pursued as an ordinary debt, and should not be founded upon as a ground of eviction or to establish the reasonableness of local authority and housing association evictions. Such a policy could either be considered on a permanent or transitional basis with a sunset clause.

The support from Shelter Scotland and the STUC to this proposal is very welcome and will help forge much wider civic Scottish support to the 'No eviction for bedroom tax' campaign.
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4 comments:

  1. I am really pleased that Shelter Scotland are backing the proposed action to protect tenants from the prospect of eviction due to the arbitrary and cruel bedroom tax.

    At Shelter Scotland we hope that the Housing Minister will take the lead now to prepare the ground with social landlords to ensure that no tenant suffers. We would prefer a situation where we were not reliant on the need to pass a new law to achieve this. However, given the urgency and the need for clarity ahead of the changes GLC's proposal ensures consistency for tenants and landlords alike.

    Glad to back your campaign.

    Gordon MacRae
    Head of Communications and Policy
    Shelter Scotland

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  2. Many thanks Gordon, very much appreciated by all of us at GLC.

    Mike Dailly
    Principal Solicitor
    GLC

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  3. On 4th February 2013, Edinburgh Tenants Federation members' voted to support your campaign and will be writing to all 65 member associations to ask them to do the same.

    info@edinburghtenants.org.uk
    0131 475 2509

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  4. That's fantastic news! Thank-you to the tenants of Edinburgh. Brilliant.

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