First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has frozen rents for public and private rented properties in Scotland to help people with rising bills.
Sturgeon has also frozen rail fares as the country endeavours to cope with soaring energy and food costs.
Her Government is also set to ban evictions over the winter with the rent freeze set to last until spring.
Sturgeon has written to new Prime Minister Liz Truss, asking her to convene a four-nation meeting of political leaders to focus on helping households.
She told MSPs: “I can confirm that we will take immediate action to protect tenants in the private and social rented sectors.
“I can confirm that we will shortly introduce emergency legislation to parliament. The purpose of the emergency law will be two-fold.
“Firstly, it will aim to give people security about the roof over their heads this winter, with a moratorium on evictions.
“Secondly, the legislation will include measures to deliver a rent freeze. The Scottish Government doesn’t have the power to stop your energy bills soaring, but we can and will take action to ensure that your rent does not rise.”
“By definition, these are temporary measures, but they will provide much-needed security for many during what will be a difficult winter. We envisage that both measures will remain in place until at least the end of March 2023.
“Crucially, I can confirm that we will time the emergency legislation to ensure – subject, of course, to the agreement of parliament – that the practical effect of this statement is that rents are frozen from today.”
Reaction
Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark:
“It is not only tenants who are exposed to the effect of the cost-of-living pressures and as a key housing provider, private landlords will be asking what help they can expect to manage any additional costs they may have to bear as a result of today’s announcement.
“Furthermore, it’s unfair to suggest letting agents and their landlords will be routinely increasing rents at a time when many tenants are facing a further strain on their finances. All parties will need to continue to work together.
“We know the Scottish Government is committed to a system of rent controls and is already considering a ban on winter evictions. What’s most alarming is that this feels like déjà vu with the potential for these new temporary protections to become permanent as has been the case with others introduced during the pandemic.”
