Scotland’s housing emergency will get worse without rent controls, the Greens have warned.
First Minister John Swinney has promised to bring in protection for tenants when his Government introduces its Housing Bill this year.
But the Greens have said that the SNP’s current plans “would enshrine perpetual rent increases into law, and undermine local authorities’ ability to protect tenants by preventing them from bringing rents down.”
Scottish Green MSP Maggie Chapman said: “If real rent control measures are not put in place, I am worried that we will see the housing emergency getting even worse, with tenants forced out of their homes. There must be justice for renters who face insecure tenancies due to soaring costs and are being forced to shoulder the financial burden so their landlords can profit.
“The government’s current proposals for this bill would enshrine perpetual rent increases into law, and undermine local authorities’ ability to protect tenants by preventing them from bringing rents down.
“Homes should be for living in, not for profiteering. They are not luxurious, nice to have extras in life. They are necessary, vital spaces. Everyone has the right to have access to a warm, safe, secure, affordable place to call home whether they own or rent the property.
“When this Housing Bill was introduced it promised protection for tenants, redefining housing as a human right. It gave hope to many struggling while relying on the private rented sector for a place to call home here in Scotland. Any attempts to water down the Bill will undermine all of this. This must be the year that we begin to repair our broken housing system. Scotland must commit to making lives and homes fairer and better for everyone.”
The Scottish Government declared a housing emergency last year. This followed several councils already doing so.
The country is also facing a homelessness crisis. Homeless deaths increased by 40 per cent last year and 40,000 children spent Christmas in temporary accommodation.
A majority of Scots backed the introduction of long-term rent controls to ease the country’s housing crisis in a poll last summer.
A survey by YouGov found eight in 10 adults who expressed an opinion were in favour of greater protection for tenants.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to introducing a long-term system of rent controls through the Housing Bill.
“Our approach will stabilise rents, with the maximum increase of 6% ensuring that more significant rent increases cannot go ahead where rent controls apply.
“The differing rent levels across Scotland show that the approach to rent control in the Bill is the right way forward, allowing local circumstances to guide decisions on where rent controls apply.”
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