The wealthy investors’ magazine Landlord Focus has proclaimed Stobswell next up for urban gentrification.
One contributor to a Dundee-themed piece licked their lips at the profits to be raked in once the Eden Project arrives.
There is a fly in the landlord ointment, however.
The piece quotes from many grumbling landlords who claim to be “vilified” in the press and “forced out of the market” due to the Scottish government preventing evictions or trying to cap rent increases to fair levels.
So I went out to ask folk in Stobswell how they felt about their home area potentially becoming a target for profiteers.
Stobswell community reaction
“Recently we had to use public money to improve tenements’ closes because private landlords didn’t want to put their hands in their pockets,” said Colin Clement, chair of the Stobswell Forum.
The Courier recently ran an investigation into the state of some of the city’s privately let housing and it found places being let that were not fit for human habitation.
In Stobswell, I found a lot of people content enough with the state of play as it is, but fearful for the future.
One friendly grandmother had a lot of helpful thoughts: “I’m £380 a month the now for a two bed, which is decent, really decent.
“The rent’s never gone up from when I moved.”
I asked what would happen if private landlords bought up flats and drove up rents, post the Eden Project’s arrival.
“I couldn’t afford that,” she said. “I know that for a fact.
“I work, but when you’re on your own and there’s no support…[if I had to pay extra rent] I wouldn’t have a life.
“Wouldn’t be able to get a drink with pals. It’s Stobie. Nobody here can afford more rent.
“And if folk have to leave [as rents go up] then you lose all your character.
“I’ve lived here all my life.”
‘Nice part of town’
Peter, a young care worker from Slovakia, was sat with his partner’s dog at the cool street furniture on Eliza Street.
“I moved to Stobswell because I could afford it. I thought it would be very rough, but it’s actually a nice part of town.”
Young Polish couple Lukas and Iwona moved here from Edinburgh with their baby to enjoy the slower pace of life and the peace and quiet.
Presumably the affordability of flats was attractive, too. Even at the low rents once available, a lot of folk do struggle.
I spoke to a guy crossing Baxter Park, carrying a carton of eggs hame fae the shop. Is he private renter, an owner, a tenant, I asked.
“I’m staying on my ex-girlfriend’s couch,” he replied. “It’s a bit of a nightmare.”
I asked whether he was keen to rent privately or get into Hillcrest social housing or similar.
“I quite like private landlords because they don’t mind if your rent’s a bit late,” he laughed
Is that no the case with Hillcrest, I asked.
“No, to be fair Hillcrest were okay with me when I missed rent, too. Maybe I’ll go back to them.”
‘What do you give back to the community?’
The new Hillcrest flats on the Arbroath Road were getting rave reviews.
One mother with a disabled son praised the new flat and how accessible it was. Hillcrest are fitting a new winch to help her son’s mobility, apparently.
This tied in with something Colin Clement had said to me about the difference between social housing and private landlords.
“Hillcrest make money, but they put their profits back into the community,” he said.
“Private landlords take the money out of the community to pay off their holiday home in Malaga or wherever.
“I’d ask the landlords fancying to make money here, ‘What do you give back to the community?
“We know you want to take profit out of the community, but what do you give back?’ The answer’s nothing.”
Is it any surprise that landlords out for a profit are “vilified” in the press?
The Scottish Government have made some progressive steps to curtail greedy landlordism, with rent caps and eviction freezes.
But more direct protections need to be put in place.
This way, Dundee can still be a city for the folk that live here – not a cash machine for those that don’t.
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