Scotland to Enforce Rent Controls Under New Bill

Last week, the Scottish Parliament passed a bill to end the no fault ground for eviction and to enforce rent controls across the private rental sector.

Scotland to Enforce Rent Controls Under New Bill

The Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill will implement a rule that means that landlords and letting agents will no longer be able to ask a tenant to leave a rental property, simply because the tenancy has come to an end. Instead, tenancies will roll on automatically.

The new law will also allow the introduction of rent controls by local councils in areas where rent rises are considered excessive.

The Director of housing charity Shelter Scotland, Graeme Brown, believes that private tenants, landlords and letting agents in Scotland will benefit from the new legislation.

He states: “This bill represents the biggest move forward in private tenancy law in the last quarter of a century, and we welcome many of the changes it contains.

“It will significantly rebalance the relationship between tenants and landlords, and modernise and strengthen the rights of the growing number of private rented sector tenants in Scotland.

“The abolition of no fault eviction, combined with a flexible and secure tenancy, will help families in particular put down roots in their communities and help people to stay in their home for as long as they need.”¹

The Scottish Housing Minister, Margaret Burgess, adds: “These significant changes will transform the private rented sector, creating a more modern tenancy, bringing stability to the sector and helping to meet Scotland’s housing needs.”¹

Landlords and letting agents in Scotland have previously tried to challenge the new law.

Are you a landlord or agent in Scotland? What do you think about the changes?

¹ http://www.propertyindustryeye.com/scottish-government-passes-bill-bring-rent-controls/