A HOUSING charity is pushing the Scottish Government and the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) to intervene against Edinburgh City Council after claiming the authority has stripped the rights of homeless people.
In what would be a landmark first occurrence, Shelter Scotland have asked for immediate intervention against Edinburgh City Council.
The move comes following the charities statement that they have “lost confidence” in the city council’s leadership on issues relating to homelessness.
The pressing issue will be raised by Scottish Greens Councillor Ben Parker at tomorrow’s city council meeting.
The uproar began after councillors voted in favour of suspending lifeline housing rights until 2028 which Shelter Scotland says breaches housing laws the council is charged with upholding.
The Scottish Government and the SHR could intervene in a landmark first use of powers afforded to them to protect homeless peoples housing rights.
Shelter Scotland claims that the city council is stripping those experiencing homelessness of their rights, while city council officers have disputed some of the claims put forward by the charity.
Shelter Scotland issued claims in December last year that there were confirmed cases of homeless households being placed in unlicensed HMO properties as temporary accommodation – the operation of unlicensed HMO properties is a criminal offence
An updated report on the provision of temporary accommodation for homeless households is expected in February following a meeting of the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work committee.
Green Councillor Ben Parker has asked that: “This report includes information about how the Council will uphold and prioritise a rights-based approach to tackling the Housing Emergency.
“Including safeguarding legal protections/rights of homeless households in response to the concerns raised by Shelter Scotland and others.”
Speaking last December after Shelter Scotland issued a letter to the Scottish Government, Alison Watson, director of Shelter Scotland said: “It should outrage everyone in Scotland that officers and elected members within a local authority have unilaterally decided to strip people in the capital of a fundamental human right.
“Edinburgh’s homelessness crisis is partly of the Council’s own making, but instead of showing compassion and seeking to help some of the most disenfranchised people in our society, they have chosen instead to punish them in this inhumane way by taking away hard-won rights.
“Shelter Scotland has lost confidence in the leadership of the City of Edinburgh Council to do the right thing and uphold the rule of law.
“The leadership has systematically failed homeless people for years and is now stripping them of their rights to cover up their own failures.”
Councillor Ben Parker has been contacted for comment.
