On Monday night, Dundee City Council became the 14th local authority in Scotland to declare a housing emergency, a move that signals growing pressure on the city’s social‑rental system.
Council backs the emergency declaration
The decision was taken by the Neighbourhood Services Committee after a calm debate. A representative from Shelter Scotland reminded councillors that the city could do better, and the Administration Group withdrew its opposition. Rather than adopt the full Shelter Scotland/Coalition plan, the council referred the matter to the Housing Best Value Group, which includes tenants and trade‑union voices.
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Why the emergency was deemed necessary
Several factors were cited. The Right to Buy scheme has removed thousands of council homes from the social‑rent market, while private rents have surged amid a cost‑of‑living squeeze. The city now has 4,000 more households than in 2000, and 41% of those households consist of single occupants. Population growth and changing household composition have stretched the already thin supply of affordable homes.
Council policies over the past 25 years also play a role. Since 2000, administrations led by Labour and the SNP have demolished about 6,500 council houses but replaced only roughly 3,500. Some demolitions were justified, yet the council’s own policies, over the last 25 years or so, have a say too, as many homes were labelled “surplus” even when they were still viable.
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Current allocation challenges
Officials say 44% of housing offers are turned down, creating wasted time for officers and leaving properties vacant longer than needed. A “choice‑based lettings system” used by some landlords lets applicants pick from a list and then matches offers to need, a model the council could consider to speed up placements.
Many single residents occupy three‑bedroom social‑rented units after starting families. Under‑occupancy points already give them some priority, but the council could move them higher on the queue, freeing larger homes for homeless families. This would also address the mismatch between house size and household composition.
