Delegates at the SNP Spring Conference have today voted overwhelmingly to support a resolution committing the party to supporting the introduction of national rent controls for all tenants.
Living Rent’s call for rent controls, such as those that exist in Germany and much of the rest of Europe, has received cross-party support from the Greens, Labour and RISE, as well as high-profile endorsements from a number of SNP politicians, including Tommy Sheppard MP and Mhairi Black MP.
Emma Saunders, an activist with Living Rent, said this vote meant there was now a consensus going into the Scottish Parliamentary election that rent controls were a necessary step to resolving the housing crisis.
“For far too many private tenants in Scotland, rents are too high and the quality of housing too low. With today’s vote by SNP delegates, there is now a clear consensus across the board that rent controls are a sensible solution to this.”
“The challenge is now to make sure that we get it right, and that the model of rent controls we introduce genuinely brings rents down and protects tenants.”