Amendments to the Housing (Scotland) Bill have been lodged by the
Scottish Government setting out how rents will be capped in rent
control areas.
The proposed measures will help protect tenants facing cost of
living pressures and rising energy prices, whilst providing
appropriate protection for the property rights of landlords and
supporting investment.
Rent increases in control areas would be limited to the CPI
annual rate of inflation plus 1%, up to a maximum increase of 6%.
If approved, the rent cap will apply both to rent increases
during the term of a tenancy, and in between tenancies, in areas
where rent control is applied.
Ministers will determine which areas should be subject to rent
control in order to protect tenants. The amendments build on a
package of renters' rights already in the Bill including the
right to keep pets and to decorate rented properties without
having those unreasonably refused.
Social Justice Secretary said:
“Eradicating child poverty remains this government's top priority
and having a home can make a direct contribution to achieving
this.
“Ensuring families can have secure and affordable homes that meet
their needs is part of our approach to tackling the housing
emergency. These measures will also help protect tenants against
a backdrop of a continuing cost of living crisis and rising
energy costs. We are doing what we can with the powers that we
have as we know our policies are working to improve the lives of
families in Scotland.
“Scotland already has some of the strongest rights in the UK for
tenants, but we want to improve the renting experience even more
to create an affordable, high-quality and fair rented sector.
“We have been working closely with tenants' organisations to
develop provisions in the Housing Bill to improve renters'
rights, including a system of long-term rent controls that is
fair for tenants and encourages investment in the sector.
“Our rented sector is a crucial part of tackling the housing
emergency and these measures provide important certainty for
tenants.”
Background
Housing (Scotland) Bill |
Scottish Parliament Website
Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation is a way of measuring
monthly changes in the price of goods and services.
