As the private rented sector in England heaved a sigh of relief that rent controls are now off the political agenda, a petition opposing their introduction and also the abolition of the ‘no fault’ ground for repossession has been handed in to the Scottish Government.
The petition gained some 3,000 signatures within a matter of days.
It was launched on May 1 by the Scottish Association of Landlords and the Council of Letting Agents, and handed in on Sunday when its latest consultation closed.
It calls on the Government to “reflect on” the importance of the private rented sector in Scotland.
The petition argues that 330,000 people currently rely on the PRS in Scotland.
It argues: “Landlords and letting agents wish to retain the right for both the landlord and the tenant to choose to end the tenancy by giving the appropriate required notice.
“This measure also provides protection for neighbours impacted by tenants disrupting local communities with their anti-social behaviour.
“The industry agrees that rent reviews should take place no more than once a year to ensure that tenants are not subject to unreasonable or unexpected rises.
“The industry supports the view that there is no need for any kind of rent control in Scotland, recognising that rents have generally not increased in Scotland and, in real terms, have actually fallen over recent years.
“Any rent capping would distort the market in different parts of the country and simultaneously discourage much-needed investment in new housing which provides a sustainable solution to addressing a lack of supply in some areas.”
John Blackwood, chief executive of the Scottish Association of Landlords, said: “Gathering almost 3,000 signatures in such a short space of time is astonishing, and testament to how concerned landlords and agents are by some of these Scottish Government proposals and the impact they could have on the housing market in Scotland.
“The vast majority of the 330,000 tenants in the PRS rely on the flexibility that renting provides, primarily due to cost and location in relation to the changing jobs market.
“Whilst we agree that some changes to the current regime are necessary, we would urge the Scottish Government to consider the wider implications of what is being proposed.
“Landlords and agents across Scotland have used this petition to make their voices heard and now we hope that the Scottish Government listens.”
Comments (4)
The Scots need to learn this is a free market. A free market in which 0.3% of the population owns 2/3 of the UK and around 500 people owning half of Scotland perhaps , but a free market none the less.
Can’t they understand the UK’s whole economy is based on ever rising land prices backed by ever rising debts? And so by messing with the free market they are endangering my capital gains. Regardless of Ricardo’s law of rent showing how land monopoly will push down the peasants wages to subsistence at the margins and all that blather, I still claim all of that economic rent as my privilege and demand it’s maximization at all times to ensure the 18 year real estate cycle transfers wealth to me and all the other BTL’s, banks and land hoarders to ensure we can weather the inevitable bust when the whole ponzi goes belly up. Anything else just wouldn’t be British now would it?
I mean just look at a country with rent controls, like Germany for instance, total basket case eh? Really Scotland, do you want that for your country…!
Fantastic response and good on SAL for organising this petition, which reflects the 79% majority view from individual and organisation responses to the first consultation against removal of this fundamental right of the SAT.
Let’s see now how much the SNP take account of the will of the people!
They do not need to listen to the will of the people….they have a majority in Scottish Government and ignored all representations so far!!!! Typical left wing contradiction “do as I say not as I do”