Housing and homelessness are rising to the top of national and local agendas with local authorities facing a unique range of difficult issues to grapple with for the foreseeable future. Four years and counting! a conference tracking Scotland’s progress towards the 2012 homelessness target is being hosted by Shelter Scotland in Glasgow on Monday 23rd June with Stewart Maxwell MSP, Minister for Communities as the principal speaker.

The first landlord to sign up to an innovative scheme to help Midlothian Council tackle the problem of people in housing need is encouraging others to follow his lead.

Orchard & Shipman signed an agreement with Midlothian Council in October to find and manage private rented homes in towns and villages across the district.

The Private Sector Leasing (PSL) scheme will allow the Council to provide quality accommodation to people who may have lost their homes through, for example, relationship breakdown or unemployment, instead of looking at temporary housing options such as expensive B&B’s.

Innovative solutions by the private sector are the only way the Government will meet its 2012 homelessness target, according to Orchard & Shipman, leading managers of accommodation on behalf of local authorities in Scotland and London.

The first of the tenants to benefit from an innovative scheme to provide more housing options in their local communities was delighted to move into her furnished home with her young daughter, just before Christmas.

Scottish Government urged to make a lasting present to homeless people this Christmas

A bespoke mortgage product aimed specifically at buy-to-let landlords looking to invest in the rapidly growing concept of Private Sector Leasing (PSL) is being launched by Dunfermline Building Society.

Orchard & Shipman, the company behind an innovative concept to help local authorities tackle the problem of homelessness, has secured new contracts with a further three councils in Scotland.

Scotland's councils could save £10 million a year if they abandon the use of B&B accommodation for people who are short-term homeless in favour of other private sector alternatives.

A pioneering scheme to provide vital support for people in housing need by acquiring properties from buy-to-let landlords and investors is celebrating securing its 1000th property – two years ahead of schedule.

Orchard & Shipman announced today the procurement of their 1,000th property in Edinburgh - two years ahead of target.