Rural Scotland’s private rented sector: insights & challenges

Join the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence in association with Citizens Advice Scotland and Argyll and Bute Council for a webinar exploring the state of rural housing in Scotland, focusing on Argyll and Bute’s private rental sector.

This session is based on a recent study by Dr Andrew Watson entitled “The challenges faced by rural landlords: the case of Argyll and Bute,” which captures perspectives from over 350 local private landlords.

Our expert panel will discuss the importance of affordable, quality housing and its impact on Scotland’s rural communities.

Our agenda:

• Lead researcher Andrew Watson will present key data on the private rental sector (PRS) in Argyll and Bute, providing a closer look at the demographics and specific challenges facing this area. He’ll share the main concerns voiced by landlords and discuss the broader implications of these findings on policy-making.
• Douglas Whyte from Argyll and Bute Council will share the council’s perspective on the research, explaining why they chose to partner with Argyll and Bute CAB and the importance of addressing housing issues through cross-sector collaboration. He will also outline the council’s planned actions in response to the findings within the context of the ongoing housing emergency.
• Aoife Deery and Jen Broadhurst (Citizens Advice Scotland) will discuss CAS’s role in the research and how the findings support their work for a fairer Scotland.
• John Boyle (Rettie and co.) will address the impact of legislation on Build-to-Rent (BTR) development in rural Scotland, underlining the vital role of small-scale private landlords.

Chaired by Ashley Campbell (Chartered Institute of Housing).