The Scottish Government announced that 'no household should be evicted because of arrears accrued during the coronavirus pandemic' but about half of the eviction orders that have been granted at the Tribunal are because of arrears

This is what happens when you ask tenants to 'negotiate' rent reductions with their landlords during an international public health and economic crisis. People lose their homes.

The Scottish Government did not and has not banned evictions. Increasing the notice period for some grounds for eviction is nothing but a stop-gap that in itself is not successful in protecting renters. Without bringing rents down, there's no legislation to prevent this.

Whilst concern about the pandemic is starting to relax, the economic hardship faced by tenants is not going away anytime soon. We need rent controls and we need a formal ban on the granting of evictions orders.

We also need continued growth of tenant organisations to hold the government, the courts, and our landlords to account. Join your tenants union.

If you're renting in Scotland then this is for you: http://www.livingrent.org/join