Housing (Scotland) Bill Island Communities Impact Assessment Results

Assessment

Rented Sector Reform

Our assessment of the impact of the rental sector measures within the Bill does not identify any differential impact from these measures on island communities.

The rented sector provisions within the Bill may have a positive impact on island demographics. Given the overarching aim is to improve affordability, improve the renting experience and enhance and strengthen certain aspects of the current regulatory framework to make sure it works for both tenants and landlords, it may make it easier to sustain residency on an island.

We do not anticipate there will be a social impact on island communities different to that of the rest of Scotland. Proposed measures to improve affordability are likely to have a positive impact by stabilising housing costs for people and families who rely on the private rented sector for a home, which will be helpful in meeting the increased cost of living in island communities.

We believe there is insufficient evidence to indicate that the proposed rental sector reform measures will result in tenants and landlords in island communities being directly disadvantaged compared to those on the Scottish mainland and that tailored mitigations, outwith those already proposed in the Bill, are not required.

Homelessness Prevention

The proposed new duty to ask and act may result in an increased burden of responsibility on relevant bodies, but this will also be true of communities in mainland Scotland and we do not consider that island communities specifically would be disproportionately affected by any potential negative outcomes of these measures.

We know that many public bodies ask and act about a risk of homelessness anyway as existing good practice so legislating this practice as a duty may not result in significantly more applications or assessments. It is possible that asking about risk of homelessness upstream might remove people from the cliff-edge of homelessness and provide relevant support early enough so as to reduce homelessness applications and demand on temporary accommodation. This is as true in the islands as elsewhere in Scotland.

We do not anticipate there will be a social impact on island communities different to that of the rest of Scotland. In the longer term, any social impacts may be positive, as the prevention duties will ensure an earlier, more preventative, person-centred, outcome-focused approach is taken to risk of homelessness/homelessness by local authorities and relevant bodies. Earlier intervention, through the ask and act duties, will allow for appropriate support for service users, such as family mediation, debt counselling and so on, thus potentially preventing them from moving into homelessness and the ensuing trauma and indignity which may accompany this.

Based on the evidence available, the impact of the introduction of the homelessness prevention duties and the change to existing legislation is not expected to be significantly different for the island local authorities than for any other local authority in Scotland.

Mobile Homes

We have concluded that the measures in the Bill will not have an effect on island communities which would be significantly different from its effect on other communities.

Overall assessment

Our overall assessment is that the measures in the Bill are not likely to have an effect on an island community which is significantly different from their effect on other communities (including other island communities).

If approved by Parliament, the Bill will require a wide range of secondary legislation to be taken forward to implement the measures. Relevant secondary legislation will have its own consultation and impact assessment requirements, including consideration of impacts on island communities.

Sign off

In preparing the ICIA, we have formed an opinion that this legislation is not likely to have an effect on an island community which is significantly different from its effect on other communities (including other island communities). The reason for this is noted in the assessment section above and further detail in provided in the three individual screening assessments that have been published alongside this summary ICIA.

ICIA approved by: Catriona MacKean, Deputy Director, Better Homes Division

Date approved: 3 July 2024