Legal News
Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership to Set Aside Accommodation for Army Personnel (27 October 2011)
Date: 27/10/2011
Ex-army personnel are to be provided with a “priority route” to gaining access to affordable accommodation in southwest Scotland. Dumfries and Galloway Housing Partnership (DGHP) will set aside a percentage of its annual lets specifically for armed forces personnel. Chairman Billy Lockhart claims that the move could potentially make a “real difference” to those struggling to find homes in the area. He praised the DGHP for going “one step further” than some of the other organisations that offered extra points to army personnel on waiting lists. Mr. Lockhart believes that the move will “undoubtedly help” many by providing them with an easy and clear route into housing as previously, ex-army personnel were forced to join the homeless route to access accommodation. With almost 5,000 applicants on waiting lists, armed forces personnel were subject to long waits for accommodation. Under the current scheme, personnel will be offered direct access to a number of DGHP’s annual lets.
Archie Dryburgh, an ex-serviceman described by the community as Dumfries and Galloway Council's armed forces champion, helped to develop the scheme. Mr. Dryburgh claimed that the initiative would be welcomed by many people. Jayne Moore, the director of housing services at DGHP, said that the scheme could make a considerable difference to the housing process. Miss Moore claims that the specific allocation of a percentage of DGHP’s lets to armed forces personnel would, in the majority cases, eliminate the requirement for personnel to declare themselves to the council as homeless. DGHP is currently looking to identify anyone on their waiting list who could benefit from this scheme.
Duncan Lewis’ housing solicitors are highly experienced at finding expert solutions to housing issues.