Landlords complain of lack of support from government...

Hundreds of landlords and property professionals say their national economic contribution is under-appreciated and inadequately supported.

Landlords have hit out at a lack of Scottish Government support as a range of measures are called on to help protect this critical part of Scotland’s housing stock.

More than two-thirds of landlords and property professionals who responded to a survey by specialist Scottish estate agency Portolio said they felt unsupported politically.

And it is feared that the country’s economy and rental housing sector could face a hit - with concerns that many landlords may sell their properties - unless that tide turns.

Private rental owners say two critical steps would be to reduce the Additional Dwelling Supplement - the extra Land and Buildings Transaction Tax people pay when buying additional properties - from four per cent, and begin moves to extend the notice period tenants must give landlords from one month to two.

Their calls have been highlighted by Portolio sales director Ross Macdonald, in a letter to Scotland’s Housing Minister, Kevin Stewart. The firm hopes for further discussion with the Scottish Government post-election, whatever the party in political control.

The call has been made after 300 private housing landlords and experts - estimated to represent about 10,000 homes - responded to a survey by Edinburgh-based Portolio, Scotland’s only agency for landlords.

It found that 38 per cent of respondents felt unsupported by the Scottish Government, with 30 per cent feeling “very unsupported”. A quarter said they felt “neither supported or unsupported”.

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Robert Brown
26 April 2021 10:19 AM

Agreed. The SNP hate landlords and have outlawed fixed term tenancies, allowed tenants to leave on 28 days notice from day 1 - but banned landlords from getting back their own properties unless in very specific circumstances.

I can't understand why 100% of Scottish landlords didn't feel totally unsupported by the SNP.

I feel totally victimised and demonised by the SNP and their nasty nationalist cronies always chasing the populist vote and offering unaffordable freebies.