Scottish leader confirms move to make rent controls permanent in new Bill
First Minister Humza Yousaf says he plans to introduce a New Deal for Tenants as part of his new housing policies to tackle homelessness and the PRS supply shortage.
The Scottish Government says it will continue measures to enhance tenants’ rights protections as well as long-term rent controls for the ‘long term’.
First Minister Humza Yousaf (main picture) told MSPs he plans to introduce a New Deal for Tenants as part of his new housing policies to tackle homelessness and the PRS supply shortage.
Revealing his Programme for Government, he said it would enable local councils to raise taxes on second homes and committed £60 million to acquire empty properties to be converted into affordable housing. It would also invest £750 million in new affordable homes – 10% of which would be in rural and island communities.
“Westminster’s cost-of-living crisis has left tenants vulnerable, made all the more difficult by a market that can’t support demand,” said Yousaf. “The Scottish government will continue to work with vital stakeholders across landlord and tenant groups as it crafts a tailored approach to this crisis that suits Scotland’s unique needs.
PROMPT ACTION
“During the cost-of-living crisis, this government took prompt action to introduce emergency rent caps for most private tenants and to introduce additional protections against eviction,” he added. “We’ve now laid legislation to ensure those measures will remain in place until 31st March next year.”
The Scottish government reintroduced a rent freeze and eviction ban in September last year and those protections in the main are still in operation, with evictions paused and in-tenancy rent increases capped at 3%. However, a coalition of landlords and letting groups including the Scottish Association of Landlords has been seeking a judicial review of the legislation.
Chief executive John Blackwood told the Big Issue: “Any proposal to introduce rent controls must be done in partnership with all parts of the housing sector along with tenant representatives”.
He adds: “This measure should also be viewed as something which addresses short-term concerns until the longer-term measures needed to address Scotland’s housing crisis are implemented and shown to be effective.”
