Scottish Labour want ‘Mary Barbour’ law for the PRS

Scottish Labour want ‘Mary Barbour’ law for the PRS

9:43 AM, 4th April 2018, About 6 years ago 5

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The Scottish Labour party want to bring in far reaching rent control laws using a Private Members bill based around the early campaigning of Mary Barbour.

“Mary Barbour first became politically active after joining and becoming an active member of the Kinning Park Co-operative Guild. Her political activism began in earnest leading the South Govan Women’s Housing Association during the Glasgow rent strikes of 1915, when she actively organised tenant committees and eviction resistance. The protestors became known as Mrs Barbour’s Army.” Wikipedia

On top of the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act which restricts rent rises to once a year the proposals in the Bill would include:

  • Linking rents to average wages
  • Giving tenants the power to challenge rents and submit claims for rent reductions

There would need to be a consultation in addition, but Pauline McNeill, Labour housing spokesperson, said: “There is a housing crisis in Scotland. There is a lack of affordable public housing and so people are forced to rent privately and as a result are paying rip-off rents which stops them saving for a deposit to buy their own home.

“Rent controls are vital to stop this happening and to give people hope that they can have secure, affordable tenancies.”


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Comments

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

9:54 AM, 4th April 2018, About 6 years ago

In this case, perhaps there's a reason for voting Corbyn after all?

Some nice 70's style 29% inflation to erode our debts, National Strikes leaving millions to claim benefits to pay their rents (all paid for by Labour Party borrowing cheap money of course), and indexed rents. Yummy!

In reality though, I cannot see the SNP or the Conservative MSP's supporting this Labour proposed Bill.

12:28 PM, 4th April 2018, About 6 years ago

. . . and 15% interest rates

Mark Alexander - Founder of Property118

13:10 PM, 4th April 2018, About 6 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Jerry Jones at 04/04/2018 - 12:28
Yep, it would be even be worth suffering that for a while.

I've been advising landlords to build a war-chest with their extra cashflow resulting from ultra-low interest rates for 10 years now. I just hope they have done so.

However, I suspect both scenarios are equally unlikely, i.e. landlords with 20% liquidity reserves and 15% interest rates for a year or so.

Janet Carnochan

9:42 AM, 5th April 2018, About 6 years ago

I live in Scotland in an area where wages are low and some rents are quite high, depending on the property. So why should I rent out a nice 4 bedroom property in a nice area for a low rent because the average wage is low in my area. I have other properties at lower rents but either house or area are not so good. Tenants make the choice to pay the high rent if they want the nice house and nice area. The old rules of economics, demand and supply should be what determines rent prices not politicians looking for votes. Personally if this happens and my rents are forced down then I would simply sell up, pay off my own mortgage and hope the government looks after me in old age since it shackled my business. At present I have a high mortgage on my own property, my rental properties pay part of the mortgage and my husband works long hours to pay the rest, we could sell up, pay off our own, my husband work less and have a few good holidays. Therefore in my situation the government's intervention would cause homelessness.

Lisa Notner

11:29 AM, 7th April 2018, About 6 years ago

The new legislation relating to private rentals includes a section that allows councils the right to apply for permission to impliment a 'rent pressure zone'. No council, to my knowledge, has done this so far. Edinburgh Council, I believe, has talked about it but nothing more - so far.
How would these proposed rent control laws fit in with the current 'rent pressure zone' laws?
I'm no expert on this so anyone who does know the facts - would love to hear from you.
Any views on the current 'rent pressure zone' legislation and how it might effect the prs if it was to be implimented.

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