The latest Scottish Housing Survey reveals the importance that all parts of the property market play in delivering homes for Scots and shows how they should be encouraged to work together, says letting agency boss David Alexander of DJ Alexander Ltd (pictured).

The survey shows that over the last four years, the total number of households grew from 2.18m to 2.54m. Owner-occupier households were up by 19%. In the PRS they were up by as much as 175%, but social rented sector household numbers fell by 15%.

The vast majority (89%) of homeowners and social housing tenants (81%) were over 34. In contrast, 52% of those in the PRS were under 34.

More diverse

Tenants in the PRS were almost twice as likely to have a job (66%) as those in social housing (39%) and 27% of PRS homes had someone with a physical or mental health condition but that rose to 59% in the social housing sector.

PRS houses were far more diverse, with 20% non-Scottish, non-white tenants compared to 7% in social housing.

Tenants in the PRS, though, were far more likely to move on – 56% reported being in their current home for less than two years compared to 24% in social housing. Around one-third of social housing tenants, on the other hand, had been in their properties for more than 11 years.

The PRS – rather than replacing social housing – actually serves a very different market.”

David Alexander commented, “What this data shows is that the PRS – rather than replacing social housing – actually serves a very different market. The people living in the PRS are much younger, tend to be better paid, and more mobile than those in social housing.

“They work, they travel, they are more likely to come from another culture, and they are not seeking a lifelong home in the PRS but are using it for employment, for convenience, and for lifestyle reasons.

“Whereas the social housing sector is much more likely to be occupied by older people, seeking a permanent home in the sector, who are not working or seeking work, and may be looking after an elderly or sick relative, they will also probably come from the area they are currently living in.”

Alexander concludes, “Policies which seek to undermine, or demonise the PRS, in the belief that social housing can service all tenants’ needs are therefore, not only superfluous and uninformed but actually damaging to the wellbeing of tenants in Scotland.”