The end of Scotland’s rent cap has left renters facing steep increases in rental prices. In an effort to tackle the affordability crisis at the end of 2022, temporary legislation was introduced to ban most rent increases and evictions. However, this 3% cap was lifted in April, and tenants are reporting dramatic increases in rent. One such tenant, Gilly Ramage, was hit with a £300 per month increase on her two-bedroom flat in Glasgow’s Southside. The overwhelming surge of additional costs made the rent unaffordable, which led her to move out.
The Scottish government’s most recent housing market review revealed that Glasgow’s rent increased by over 22% in the year that ended in September, nearing double the national average. Despite Scotland being the only UK nation to have implemented rent controls, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also demonstrate that rents in Scotland have increased more rapidly than in England or Wales. The average rent in Scotland increased by 10% in the 12 months prior to April 2024, while Wales and England saw increases of 8.2% and 8.9% respectively.
Living Rent, a tenants’ rights union, has reported a 300% increase in individuals contacting them for assistance with rent escalation since April. As rent control ended in Scotland, a new system was deployed that permitted tenants to contest rent hikes by bringing the case before an adjudication service. This service can restrict increases to 12%. However, it is not unlawful for a landlord to request a higher fee.
Living Rent is urging renters to challenge rent increases. However, the organisation has received feedback from tenants who claim the adjudication system is time-consuming and difficult to comprehend. Some have even received eviction notices after contesting rent hikes. In response, campaigns chair Ruth Gilbert has indicated that Scotland needs permanent rent controls.
Landlords attribute the rising mortgage rates and increasing bills for repairs to rent not recovering their costs. Several local authorities, such as Edinburgh and Glasgow, had already declared a housing emergency in response to surging private rent costs and record open homeless cases. The Scottish government published its Housing Bill earlier this year, which proposed implementing long-term rent controls. However, the bill’s implementation is awaiting Holyrood’s oversight, meaning it will not take effect until at least 2026
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