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A New Deal for Tenants: Rents Down, Rights Up!

  • Scotland’s tenants need homes we can afford, so that we’re not priced out of our communities.
  • We need security of tenure, not just a place we can stay for a while.
  • We need homes that are warm, so that heating them doesn’t cost the earth.
  • We need access to justice and better enforcement, so that we can defend ourselves when landlords treat us unfairly. 

The Scottish Government has promised to introduce rent controls and greater rights for tenants in this Parliament.
Between December 2021 and April 2022, the Scottish Government consulted on proposed changes to the law.

As Scotland's tenants union, we demanded:

  • AFFORDABLE HOMES: a point-based system of rent controls to bring down housing costs and improve housing quality and a greater supply of social housing

  • QUALITY HOMES: greater and clearer penalties for landlords who refuse to make repairs, as well as clearer incentives for improvements such as energy efficiency

  • SECURE HOMES: greater protections for tenants, including banning winter evictions, making all grounds discretionary and introducing meaningful penalties for breaches of the law

  • HOMES THAT ARE OURS: the right to make it ours by not facing undue restrictions on what we can do, such as having pets or redecorating

  • STRONGER VOICES FOR TENANTS: control over our homes, which means making rent consultation results binding, and ensuring we don’t face repercussions for exercising our rights

Get in touch if you want to get involved locally and push for change. 

6,152 endorsements
5,000 endorsements

Will you endorse Living Rent's response?


3379

  • Roger Colkett
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:38:33 +0000
    Affordable rents; security of tenure,
  • Vigo Love
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:38:01 +0000
    Indefinite moratorium on evictions, strict rent controls, the eventual abolishment of private property.
  • luke winter
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:37:14 +0000
    rent control
  • Luke McWilliams
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:36:47 +0000
    Fairer rents and better social housing
  • Ruth Gillett
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:36:42 +0000
  • C Ma
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:35:06 +0000
  • C Ma
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:35:04 +0000
  • Carol Marr
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:34:20 +0000
    Bring back rent regulation. Fair rent for all. Also more control over short term and holiday lets.
  • Annie Hazelwood
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:33:47 +0000
  • Blue Kirkhope
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:33:43 +0000
  • Lezley Marion Cameron
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:31:23 +0000
    There is an increasing urgency for meaningfully and swift investment in the building of new social rented homes; better regulation and effective enforcement of the private rented sector; and effective licensing and regulation of Short Term Lets. These needs are especially acute in Edinburgh where the continually rising costs of housing and living are beyond the reach of people and families on modest and middle incomes. Also, the levels of homelessness and housing need are such that the severe shortage of temporary accommodation in Edinburgh is met by private rented sector accommodation and B&Bs, often in locations which incur additional costs for people and families who find themselves in temporary accommodation in a part of the city which is some distance from their workplaces, children’s schools, doctor surgeries, family support networks etc.
  • Catherine Barthram
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:29:17 +0000
    Landlords held accountable for repairs and upkeep of communal areas as well as within the flat. Higher taxes for landlords with multiple properties but fixed rents so that’s not passed on to the tenants.
  • Catriona McIntosh
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:28:53 +0000
  • Samar Ziadat
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:28:33 +0000
  • Lianne McCreadie
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:27:29 +0000
    Affordable homes and greater security
  • Ry Sandrey
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:26:44 +0000
    Rent controls, better freedoms for pets/redecorating
  • Jaimie Buchanan
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:26:36 +0000
    Lower rent and adequately decorated, maintained and insulated properties with furniture fit for the living space.
  • Nicolette Smith
    endorsed via 2022-03-07 17:26:04 +0000
  • Rosalind Smith
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:25:40 +0000
    Introduction of rent controls, a curbing of out of control unmanaged holiday lets, and the right to decorate and keep pets. These are needed urgently and cannot wait.
  • Francis Koroma
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:25:12 +0000
    Rent cost control and repairs completed within reasonable time scales
  • Erim Thornton
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:20:31 +0000
    Affordable homes for all
  • Marianne Benzie
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:17:53 +0000
    Rent rates to be lowered and more affordable.
  • Caroline Crozier
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:14:00 +0000
    Affordable homes priority.
  • Alfie Watson-Brown
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:13:51 +0000
  • James Murray
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:10:34 +0000
  • Oscar Shrimpton
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:09:11 +0000
  • Kwaby Arthur
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:08:01 +0000
  • Traci Kirkland
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:07:05 +0000
    Affordable family homes for local people . Rents which reflect the economic position of communities and more pressure on private landlords and factors to improve properties in line with climate and energy challenges without hitting tenants pockets
  • Sara Maclean
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:04:54 +0000
  • Dominic Slaney
    endorsed 2022-03-07 17:04:40 +0000
    Rent control