Rent nearly doubled in three years! Why Scotland needs rent controls

Renting in Scotland is set to change with MSPs currently considering a new Bill on housing and Citizens Advice Scotland was invited to share our evidence on detailed proposals for a new rent control system.

The Bill aims to give the power to introduce rent controls in Scotland, which would temporarily limit increases in areas affected by high rents. As the Bill has progressed, what’s being proposed has changed.

Initially, local councils were to be able to choose a cap for an area of any size within their boundaries. Now the idea is that there should be a national formula based on inflation. We welcome this change: it brings greater clarity, and the inflation link limits increases, meaning rents are more likely to be affordable.

Nobody knows exactly how this will work in practice until it’s implemented but we need to be moving forward and trying things, while keeping the situation under review and changing course if needed.

Everyone needs a home: a view of Edinburgh from Arthur's Seat (Picture: Matt Cardy) | Getty Images

Stress and worry

A safe, secure home is foundational to people’s lives. We see thousands of people coming to our local bureaux seeking advice because they are struggling to afford their rent. This includes people who have long-term health conditions or caring responsibilities, like Stephen (name changed).

He lives in a privately rented home with his mother, who he cares for. When their tenancy started three years ago, the rent was £560 per month. It increased to £700 last year and they’re now facing an over 40 per cent increase to £1,000. Stephen was extremely worried that he wouldn’t be able to afford this. For Stephen and others in his position, the stress and worry are undoubtedly enormous.

We need a stronger system of checks and balances. Since 2017, tenants have been able to check if rent increases are fair through the national rent adjudication system. This system is under-used for various reasons including the short deadline to apply.

People’s lives are complex and it’s often difficult to know what to do when faced with a problem like this. Extending the deadline would unlock this support for many people and enable a fairer, more compassionate system. The Housing Bill can change this.

Help landlords too

For the last five years, we’ve had a series of rent caps aimed at helping people stay in their homes. These were the right decisions to make in the moment, as first Covid and then the cost-of-living crisis piled financial pressure on people. These caps no doubt helped many renters stay in their homes.

However we’ve also seen landlords needing advice because they’ve tried to keep rents low and are now struggling to cover their costs. There’s also a need to support landlords too – for example, with grants and loans. When we say we want a rental sector that works for everyone, we mean it.

Today, we know many people are struggling and rents in many areas are too high. The reality is, without action, people will be forced into homelessness. We need to consider what lessons we can learn from these times and create a rented sector that works for everyone, with clear information and access to redress when things go wrong.

Scotland deserves a rented sector where people are aware of their rights and responsibilities, so that more people can stay in their homes.

Aoife Deery, Citizens Advice Scotland