Landlords are being driven away from PRS in Scotland, agent warns
Riccardo Giovanacci says the role of landlords is not appreciated, and not enough is done to attract more into the market.
Landlords are being driven out of the PRS in Scotland, a letting agent has warned.
Riccardo Giovanacci, managing director of Glasgow-based Newton Letting, says the role of landlords is not appreciated.
“In the current climate, especially in Scotland, the positive contribution that the PRS makes to the ongoing housing crisis can seem not only to be overlooked, but to be actively denigrated and obstructed,” he says.
He says the cliché of the rogue landlord seems to drive policies which are working to push landlords away.
Giovanacci says rents in Scotland have not risen at the same rate as England over the last 15 years, apart from earlier this year as they caught up.
He called on landlords and agents to “be much better and much more proactive about explaining to tenants and their representative organisations the reasons behind increases, such as the greater costs that they face”.
Old school
Nothing is being done to attract landlords into the market, he says, in fact quite the opposite is true.
“We need to attract property owners who are not in it for a quick buck, but are more old school and prepared to invest for the long-term.
“There are huge numbers of people who, for lifestyle reasons, want to rent for long periods in the manner of the European model, and responsible landlords are perfectly equipped to meet that demand – if only they are given the chance.”
Giovanacci’s comments are from an article in the Scottish Housing News – it can be read here
