A fishing organisation is blaming landlords for contributing to a housing crisis which, they say, means locals cannot live in coastal communities.
Salmon Scotland, the trade body for Scotland’s farm-raised sector which sustains 12,500 local jobs and brings in nearly £800m annually, says a housing shortage is holding back growth in remote parts of Scotland where salmon farms are vital to the future of local businesses and communities.
Farming companies already provide accommodation for 130 employees and their families after buying or renting suitable housing, but Salmon Scotland claims many workers simply cannot find homes near where they work.
Salmon Scotland chief executive Tavish Scott wants £10m of the money paid by salmon farmers in fees to the Scottish Government to be ring-fenced for direct investment in rural housing.
Scott claims the situation is exacerbated by the number of empty homes – with the Western Isles reported as having the highest percentage in the country – and properties being snapped up by buy to let landlords.
He says recent research by the Money website shows that in Na h-Eileanan Siar, 13.3 per cent of dwellings are vacant, while the figure is 10.4 per cent in Argyll and Bute, 9.1 per cent in both Orkney and Shetland, and 6.7 per cent in the Highlands.
“A lack of affordable housing is stopping the Highlands and islands from becoming a northern powerhouse. Salmon farming companies are using their own money to provide warm, comfortable, quality accommodation for people who fill essential roles. We also use rentals, B&Bs and hotels which contribute to the local economy all year round” explains Scott.
“But the salmon sector can’t solve this crisis alone – urgent action is needed to address the most pressing issue we face across the Highlands and islands. That’s why we suggest that £10m of the money that salmon farmers pay to the landlord Crown Estate Scotland could be invested in tackling the housing crisis.
“The impact of a lack of affordable housing cannot be underestimated – it means not being able to live near where you work, it separates families and contributes to the depopulation of our island communities. Salmon Scotland will continue to champion our coastal communities and do everything we can to be part of the solution to one of the biggest problems facing the region.”
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If they've been bought for buy to let they're probably housing the salmon workers?
So blaming private landlords for lack of housing. Owns loads themselves….
Ok I am confused 😐 if they are vacant then they are likely to be 2nd holiday homes not BTL, but if they are BTL then it’s down to the recent changes in the legislation by Wee Willy Krankie 😂😂…. Either way it’s the governments fault 🫵🏻🫵🏻
You’re blaming the wrong person, Scotland has more vacant land than anywhere else in the UK. relax the green belt policy and planning, and you could build houses for very little. Sorry, landlords that’s not going to do us any good!
Jim Haliburton
The HMO Daddy
Must be nearer voting 🗳️ time for landlord politicians to blame the landlords who actually provide safe housing for workers.
Salmon farm owners need to pay better wages to workers or build temporary accommodation on farms rather than Blaming PRS landlords.
In any case, Wild salmon is a healthier option for than farmed one full of chemicals- source Timecom-21 July 22 therefore best to not increase salmon farming in Scotland 🏴 and let the beautiful green belt survive for Current and Future generations lung health as well as for a healthy planet.
Quote:
“Seafood Watch, an independent guide to fish consumption affiliated with the Monterey Bay Aquarium, recommends avoiding most farmed Atlantic salmon because of excessive chemical use and disease. Nutritionists generally recommend eating wild salmon over farmed salmon.” Unquote.
It’s becoming a case of #savescotlandfromeu and #savePRSLandlords from mindless Scottish politicians.
One wonders what happened, whether farmed fish is to be blamed for declining the intelligence of Scottish people in the last decades, voting for leaders intent on destroying history, beautiful Seas and Lands of Scotland 🏴 by campaigning to hand it over to European bureaucrats.
The article seems to be blaming empty homes and properties being snapped up by buy to let landlords. Are they confusing the two?
Empty homes are either holiday rentals, which boost tourism for part of the year or second homes, which are often unused for the majority of the year.
BTL aims to be occupied as someone's main residence at all times. Should people who choose to rent be seen as a problem? Should people who choose to buy BTLs (landlords) to enable people who choose to rent to have a home be seen as a problem? A functioning society needs a full range of housing options.
The real problem is planning departments refusing to allow planning permission for sufficient housing and insisting on exterior design over interior functionality. Historically people have loved living in terraced houses. Why do planning departments insist on so many new builds being detached or semis? It's a staggeringly inefficient use of land and materials.
At some point, these properties were sold by "locals" to the highest bidder.
I never see any criticism of greedy locals who could easily have sold to the highest local bidder if they weren't so greedy.
Good point! But they won't want to hear about that :))
ITV bashing landlords again last night on about mould and had Mr Michael Gove on briefly long enough to say he’ll require landlords to have training.
The Rochdale case beings wrongly used to change the World, it showed snaps of that I could see that looked like a great big iron type pot up high that would put out plenty of
steam. The Council first got it right when they said it was the occupants, then had to back track because of back lash, truth is not acceptable reason anymore.
It’s the occupants that needs training,
Mr Gove needs a lot of training himself since everything he is doing is wrong he shouldn’t be in this job causing pain suffering and homelessness.
ITV shouldn’t be allowed to call themselves Independent every time on about housing it’s the Landlords fault how about a balanced view and give credit where its due to the only one’s providing homes with private finance, unlike others looking for funding for everything, (tax payers money).
Please vote for the opportunity to debate for tax relief in the parliament:
We can not post the link directly due to restrictions, it is -
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/627785?reveal_response=yes
Some of my tenants have signed it. Several have friends or colleagues who have been served with Section 21 notices and they're horrified when I've explained some of the reasons landlords are quitting.
Jo Westlake
I agree with you. However the banks etc are having a field day with land and property. A crap site gets planning permission for high density flats and then it's sold on and on.lf it gets built its ultra high density, no parking, and only suitable for yuppie types, who can afford the extortionate costs. And then, the lady gets pregnant, and we are into the o m g, grossly overcrowded.
Fish farming dosent make any sense to me. The farmed fish are fed on fish pellets. The farms are owned by foreign companies, who want cheap casual labour, normally immigrants, to man them. They are in areas where there is not much property, any way, and they want cheap accomodation for their cheap labour. This applies to agri businesses all over Britain. Basically they want the taxpayer to pick up the tab for their cheap labour, such as property, medical needs, schooling, benefits and infrastructure. Which are all very expensive!
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