Housing Update – December 2025

Throughout this year, my team and I have continued to work hard to support constituents facing housing challenges and to engage closely with key partners, including Fife Council and local housing providers such as Kingdom Housing Association.  

We have held regular meetings with officers from Fife Council’s housing services and reviewed over 100 individual cases raised with my office. These have covered a wide range of issues, including unsuitable accommodation, repair problems and antisocial behaviour. As a result of these discussions, a number of cases have already been resolved, with others escalated to ensure they receive the attention they deserve. 

I want to thank Fife Council officers for their constructive engagement with my team. These outcomes are a reminder that progress is possible when communication is open and focused on finding solutions. 

That said, the pressures on housing in North East Fife remain significant. I would strongly encourage constituents to stay proactive: keep your details up to date with the council, respond to correspondence promptly, and raise concerns early where problems arise.

Practical routes for support include contacting Fife Council via their housing phone line, updating your details on the Fife Housing Register, exploring mutual exchanges, and reporting repairs or antisocial behaviour through the council’s online forms or by phone: 

• Mutual Exchange: Mutual exchange properties | Fife Housing Register 

• ASB reporting: Report antisocial behaviour | Fife Council 

• Change of circumstances: Update/Change in Circumstances | Fife Housing Register 

The Scottish Housing Bill 

Earlier this month, the Scottish Parliament passed the long-awaited Housing Bill. Scottish Liberal Democrats have long argued that far more must be done to prevent homelessness and tackle Scotland’s housing emergency. Homelessness is at record levels, more than 10,000 children are living in temporary accommodation, and hundreds of thousands of people remain stuck on housing waiting lists. At the same time, the cost-of-living crisis has pushed both rents and mortgages out of reach for many families. 

The Housing Bill did present an opportunity to begin addressing some of these challenges, and I welcomed measures on homelessness prevention, stronger protections for victims of domestic abuse, and the introduction of Awaab’s Law on housing conditions. In particular, the domestic abuse provisions reflect priorities I raised at Scottish Liberal Democrat Conference, and it is right to see these issues finally receiving legislative attention. That said, I will be seeking further clarity from the Scottish Government on how these protections will be implemented in practice. 

Looking ahead 

While this legislation is a step forward, it is not the end of the road. Ending the housing emergency will require sustained action, proper resourcing and genuine cooperation. I will continue working closely with Willie Rennie MSP to hold the Scottish Government to account and to push for further progress. 

That means serious investment from both the public and private sectors, and a renewed focus on building the homes we urgently need - particularly family homes that allow people to put down roots in their communities. It also means ensuring councils have the funding they need to improve housing conditions without pushing rents beyond what people can afford. 

As we head into the winter months, support with heating and energy costs is also vital. Fife Council and local partners offer a range of advice and assistance, including help with heating costs, energy efficiency and staying warm at home. I would encourage anyone struggling to explore the support available through council services and local schemes such as Cosy Kingdom. More information here: https://our.fife.scot/gethelp/topics/support-with-heating-and-utility-costs  

I will continue to raise housing issues on behalf of constituents, work constructively with Fife Council, and press both the Scottish and UK Governments to deliver the long-term solutions that North East Fife urgently needs.