The Act will result in major changes in the Council's programmes for older private housing, in particular the need for owners to take more responsibility for the repair and maintenance of their property, with less use of grant. 

These changes are very significant, given that around 74,000 of existing dwellings - around 30% of all homes - in Glasgow were built before 1919.  The Act gives local authorities the power to ensure maintenance of these older properties.

There will be a widespread Private Housing Strategy Consultation and a broad-based Private Housing Working Group to assist in developing new policies and programmes.  The Council’s policies will be informed by the Survey of Older Private Housing published in March 2006.

The Council's Consultation Draft Older Private Housing Strategy is a comprehensive document explaining the situation in Glasgow and discussing how the new Act could best be used. 

Glasgow City Council is very keen to make sure people in the city from the public and key stakeholders participate in the consultation.  Those interested in viewing the Consultation Draft Older Private Housing Strategy document online should visit www.glasgow.gov.uk/en/Business/Housing/HousingStrategy/Older_Private_Housing.

Printed copies of the strategy document are available by phoning the City Council’s Housing Strategy Team on 0141 287 8676 or by emailing localhousingstrategy@drs.glasgow.gov.uk.

Councillor George Ryan, Executive Member for Development and Regeneration Services at Glasgow City Council, said: “A huge proportion of Glasgow’s homes were built before 1919, and the strategy launched today shows how the Council can respond to the new Housing Act and ensure that such a large part of the city’s housing stock will be maintained.  These older homes are a unique and instantly recognisable part of Glasgow’s heritage.”

Copies of Glasgow City Council’s Older Housing Strategy will be available at the launch or on request.  The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 is available in full on the web at http://www.statutelaw.gov.uk/Home.aspx.

The purpose of this Consultative Draft Older Private Housing Strategy is to ensure that new policies and programmes are developed with the involvement of the full range of stakeholders, on the basis of a comprehensive analysis of the problems and issues.  The Council is keen to have the widest possible response to this consultation, and public / stakeholder contributions should be submitted by 14 December.