IN the space of two weeks, 229 eviction hearings are taking place in sheriff courts and first-tier tribunals across Scotland.The Scottish Government have said they will monitor evictions as they happen.

The advent of the Delta variant of the Covid-19 virus surely means that the eviction ban should be reinstated for public health reasons at all levels and not just Levels 3 and 4. The fact that East Renfrewshire Council have publicly announced that they will not evict any of their tenants for rent arrears as long as the pandemic lasts shows that this can be easily done.

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Instead the Scottish Government remains silent as private landlords, including housing associations and some councils, with greedy avarice rush to the courts to evict tenants and their families who are in dire poverty because of the pandemic and previous austerity policies.

This is Scotland’s shame – to increase homelessness in the 21st century when this can be avoided.

Sean Clerkin
Campaign Coordinator, Scottish Tenants Organisation