New Standard for Housing

Plans for new legal requirements for all housing in Scotland to meet the same standards is to be included in a major national housing strategy.

The new Housing Standard, which will apply to all tenures, is an important element of Housing to 2040, which will set the path for how Scotland’s homes and communities should look and feel in 2040.

The new standard will create a single set of quality and accessibility standards, no matter whether a home is owned or rented.

Following a consultation and subject to the outcome of the forthcoming election, the Scottish Government will publish a draft Standard in 2023, and will introduce the legislation in 2024-25, for phased introduction between 2025 and 2030, recognising that different types of homes in different places may need more or less time to achieve compliance.

Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “Everyone living in Scotland is entitled to a warm, comfortable and safe place to live.

“That’s why we will develop a new Housing Standard which will be aligned to standards for energy efficiency and heating, meeting expectations for housing as a human right and delivering homes that underpin health and wellbeing. This will cover all homes, new and existing, with no margins of tolerance for sub-standard accommodation. Importantly we will also enshrine the Standard in law.

“The Scottish Government will work with local authorities, registered social landlords, private landlords and communities to drive improvements to the quality of all homes so that everyone is living in good quality accommodation, regardless of whether they own it or rent it from a private or social landlord. Our existing homes need to keep pace with new homes to ensure no one is left behind.”

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