Living Rent protest against 'eviction crisis' set to occur as the eviction ban ends in level two areas of Scotland

Tenants union Living Rent held a protest outside Holyrood on Saturday, calling on the Scottish Government to extend the Covid-19 eviction ban set to be lifted in areas of Scotland moving into level two restrictions on Monday (May 17).

Eviction orders planted in the ground by Living Rent members as part of their protest at Holyrood yesterday.

Campaigners planted notices received by tenants of 249 evictions granted by the First Tier Housing Tribunal in the grounds of Holyrood, demanding that the Scottish Government extend the ban to avoid an ‘eviction crisis’.

Evictions granted during the pandemic will be able to be enforced by landlords once the ban has lifted under level two restriction.

In a statement, Living Rent said: “From Monday, most of Scotland will move into tier two, meaning that the eviction ban will be lifted.

“Accordingly, the nearly 300 evictions that have been granted during the pandemic will begin to translate into the evictions of people and families”

It continued: “The action today involved planting the 300 eviction notices into the ground outside Holyrood, 143 of which were due to rent arrears, despite the Scottish Government saying that nobody should be evicted because of arrears accrued during the pandemic.”

“Behind each of the orders we planted are families, households, friends, and communities. It is unforgivable that tenants are facing losing their home because of the lack of protection that's been granted to us.”

While protestors present at the Scottish Parliament planted the eviction orders, other members and tenants across Scotland delivered copies of evictions granted during the pandemic in areas such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee to local MSP offices.

Living Rent member defence co-ordinator Jack Hanington said: “Allowing landlords to evict tenants with no further protections in place will only lengthen the social housing waiting lists and stretch Scotland’s homelessness services and temporary accommodation further.

“We need more protection now and we need to build more quality social housing than the Scottish Government has committed to,” he added.

The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.

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