Scottish trade unions back tenants demand for rent controls

Trade unions in Scotland have joined with tenant activist group Living Rent to demand that the Scottish government implements rent controls without any of the planned exemptions.

An open letter urges that rent controls are brought in to protect tenants, ‘not further the profits of landlords’.

The cap is being proposed under the Housing (Scotland) Bill which aims to establish long-term measures to curb rising rents.

The letter states that landlords would be allowed to raise rents above inflation and that ‘no other business goes unregulated in this way’.

It adds: “Alarmingly, they are now seeking further exemptions to raise rents even higher. This is nothing but greed.”

Living Rent is being backed by the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC), Unite Scotland, GMB, RMT Scotland, UCU Scotland and PCS, which have signed the open letter to First Minister John Swinney.

Scotland’s housing crisis

It is also addressed to the housing minister, Màiri McAllan, and social justice secretary, Shirley Anne Somerville.

The letter warns of a deepening housing crisis and accuses landlords of lobbying to dilute the bill’s impact – while tenant voices are ‘unheard’ because they haven’t been consulted.

It states: “We write to you with a clear and urgent message: the situation for renters in Scotland has reached a crisis point.

“Scotland is in the middle of a housing emergency, as recognised by the Government, with working-class people bearing the brunt.”

Landlords are lobbying

It continues: “At the same time, Scotland’s landlords and their lobbyists are working hard to water down rent controls and make them functionally useless.

“We need to see bold, urgent action from your Government now.

“Across Scotland, rents are through the roof and the situation is worsening by the day.

“With each rent rise tenants’ quality of life decreases and your Government moves further away from its target of eradicating child poverty.

“The Scottish Government made a promise to introduce long-term rent controls to tackle this problem, but it is now buckling under the immense lobbying power of landlords and property investors.

“A new consultation is underway which could lead to large numbers of properties being exempted from rent controls.

“Not only would these exemptions be disastrous for tenants living in these tenures, but they would create a two-tier system which could undermine rent controls overall.

“Scotland’s tenants deserve better than to be left at the mercy of a housing market driven by greed and inequality.

“We urge you to act now, ensure there are no exemptions to rent controls and fulfil your promise to introduce robust rent controls before the end of this Parliament.”

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