The Herald (Monday, 29 June 2009) reports that the Scottish Government's Home Owners' Support Fund while helping 120 households since January 2009 to the present date, has only helped 1 household since the new Fund came online on 16 March 2009. In addition, almost half of the applications made since March 2009 were returned to advisors as 'incomplete'.Two weeks ago, GLC and partners published the 'Help is at Hand?' survey report of 25 Scottish advice agencies (available as a PDF here). We revealed that 81% of respondents thought the new rules had made the Fund much harder to access; in particular the maximum 'local property' limits were prohibitive, and too many hurdles were being placed before households who would have otherwise qualified for help under the Mortgage to Rent Scheme pre-16 March 2009.
The Scottish Government has said it will keep the Fund under 'review', with a consideration of its operation taking place sometime in August 2009. Regrettably, the failure to address the undoubted flaws and weaknesses in the new rules immediately can only result in more Scottish households losing their homes unnecessarily.
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