A century ago, nine out of ten Scots lived in privately owned rental housing. With post-1915 control regimes, changing income and preferences and growing non market provision the sector declined in importance, housing only one in sixteen Scots in what had become a diverse mosaic of different kinds of provision. For the last quarter century, the failure of governments to make real their aspirations for an ever-growing home-ownership sector and an under provision of social housing to meet burgeoning waiting lists have meant that private rental housing provision has significantly re-expanded. Now high rental payment burdens, sometimes poor-quality homes and inadequate landlord services have attracted political attention to reforming the sector. The diversity of sector users, landlord types and quality of housing provided means that constructing a framework for fairness and flexibility needs nuanced policy-making, evidence and clear thinking. This conference aims to help the Scottish Government make better rental sector policies for future Scotland.

Programme

SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY SESSION

Monday 7th February, 14:00-15:00

Live webinar: Scotland’s Rented Sector Strategy: A New Deal for Tenants

Chair: Prof Duncan MacLennan

Keynote speaker: Patrick Harvie MSP, Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights

SESSION 1: A GROWING MOSAIC

Tuesday 8th February, 14:00 - 16:00

Recorded presentations (shared in advance):

• Demand segments in the contemporary private rented sector - Prof Ken Gibb (CaCHE)
• What do lower income tenants in Scotland's PRS want to see from a new Rented Sector Strategy? - Dr Tom Simcock (Edge Hill University)

Live webinar: Growth and Pressures in the Sector

Chair: Prof Duncan MacLennan, Policy Scotland

Speakers:

• Prof Ken Gibb, CaCHE
• Dr Tom Simcock, Edgehill University
• Dr Kim McKee, Stirling University
• Matthew McNulty, Glasgow City Council
• Mrs Jean Charsley, Glasgow Tenant-Led Housing Commission
• Derek Logie, Rural Housing Scotland
• Michael Lennon, Housing Choices Australia

SESSION 2: SUPPLY SIDE REACTIONS

Wednesday 9th February, 14:00 - 16:00

Recorded presentations (shared in advance):

• Economic consequences of rent controls – Prof Stephen Malpezzi (University of Wisconsin-Madison)
• Designing effective rent controls: European experience – Prof Christine Whitehead (London School of Economics)
• What works best in Canada? – Prof Steve Pomeroy (Focus Consulting Inc. & McMaster University)

Live webinar: Fair, and Flexible?

Chair: Prof Duncan MacLennan

Speakers:

• Prof Stephen Malpezzi, University of Wisconsin–Madison,
• Prof Christine Whitehead, LSE
• Prof Steve Pomeroy, McMaster University
• Matthew Benson, Rettie & Co.
• Trudi Tokarczyk, Scotland's Housing Network
• Louise Dickins, Dickins Edinburgh
• Mike Campbell, Scottish Association of Landlords
• David Cowans, Places for People

SESSION 3: PROPOSALS & POLICY IMPLICATIONS

Thursday 10th February, 14:00 - 16:00

Recorded presentations (shared in advance):

• Getting the right balance – opinion from tenants and landlords – Anna Evans, Dr Briege Nugent, Mandy Littlewood (Indigo House) and Dr John Boyle (Rettie and Co)
• Seeking A New Deal for Tenants: An initial response to the Scottish Government's draft strategy consultation - Prof Alex Marsh & Prof Ken Gibb (CaCHE)

Live webinar: How do we get the right balance?

Chair: Prof Duncan MacLennan, Policy Scotland

Speakers:

• Prof Ken Gibb, CaCHE
• Dr Adriana Mihaela Soaita, CaCHE
• Prof Douglas Robertson, Indigo House
• Jonathan Read, South Lanarkshire Council
• Dr Susan Aktemel, Homes for Good
• Dr John Boyle, Rettie & Co.
• Gordon MacRae, Shelter Scotland
• Derek Logie, Rural Housing Scotland

SUPPORTING MATERIALS

Recorded presentations (shared in advance):

• The Scottish private rented sector five years on from The Private Tenancies Act: Current trends and future directions - Dr Farhad Farnood (The Urban Institute)
• Everyday Activism: Private Tenants Demand Right to Home – Dr Adriana Mihaela Soaita (CaCHE)
• COVID-19 Temporary legislation: The pitfalls of treating landlords as a homogenous group - Dr Andrew Watson (University of Glasgow)

Zoom link to join the conference: https://uofglasgow.zoom.us/j/92020458480