Edinburgh council tenants have voted against stock transfer, while Argyll and Bute tenants vote "yes". 53% of Edinburgh tenants who voted (60% turnout) chose to stick with the council, rather than transfer to a new housing association. Following a massive campaign against the transfer, this is the first "No" vote, after successul transfers in Glasgow, Scottish Borders and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. Edinburgh Council must now find another way of meeting it's legal requirement to bring all it's homes up to the Scottish Housing Quality Standard by 2015. This will inevitably mean an increase in rents way above inflation over the next few years. [SHQS: snipurl.com/communities_scotland ] It will also put the brakes on plans to build 10,000 badly-needed affordable homes in the capital, unless alternative funding can be found. Gavin Corbett, Head of Campaigns at Shelter Scotland said: "Edinburgh, like many Scottish councils, has a major housing challenge to face in the years ahead. For months now the council has pinned many of its plans on transfer going ahead and it now faces a major rethink as a result of tenants voting no. "The city faces a major shortfall in affordable housing and the transfer included proposals to build 10,000 new affordable homes. It is essential that these plans are not lost, for the sake of tenants of tomorrow. When the dust settles we urge local and national politicians to get round the table to discuss how the city can meet the urgent housing challenge that it still faces." Conversely, it was also announced today that Argyll and Bute tenants voted overwhelmingly in favour of transfer. With a turnout of 63%, almost 90% voted "yes". Transfer of the Council’s entire 5,800 housing stock to Argyll Community Housing Association (ACHA) should take place by summer 2006. From ACHA press release: The positive outcome means that the Scottish Executive will now write off the Council’s existing housing loan debts of approximately £48million, allowing a larger proportion of tenants’ rents to be spent on improving housing and housing services. As a result of this additional money being made available ACHA will be able to introduce a guarantee that rents will not increase by more than the rate of inflation plus 1% for the first five years after transfer, and will be kept affordable thereafter. Following the transfer Argyll and Bute Council, while no longer owner, will remain the strategic authority for the area’s housing. As part of the transfer package the Council is expecting between £10 and £15 million to be made available for building new homes and regenerating communities in the area.