SNP vote for rent controls north of the border.

March 16, 2016

Delegates at the Scottish National Party Spring Conference have voted in favour of introducing national rent controls for all Scottish tenants, this would be quite a shake up to the buy-to-let market north of the border.

The SNP would need to win a majority in the forthcoming Scottish general election to implement these plans, if they were successfull it could mean that landlords are unable to raise rents above a cap set by the State, even when their own mortgage costs rise.

The resolution goes much further than the local rent controls in the Private Housing Tenancies Bill which is going through final stages in the Scottish Parliament this week.

Emma Saunders, an activist with campaign group Living Rent, reportedly said the vote meant there was now a “consensus” going into the upcoming Scottish Parliamentary election that far broader rent controls were “a necessary step to resolving the housing crisis”.

She further reportedly said: “For far too many private tenants in Scotland, rents are too high and the quality of housing too low. With this vote by SNP delegates, there is now a clear consensus across the board that rent controls are a sensible solution to this”.

Allen Walkey

Highly experienced businessman with a successful career in property sales and investment both in the UK and abroad. Now a freelance writer and blogger for the property and Investment Industry, keeping readers up-to-date with changes and events in a rapidly changing world.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Homesellers face months of delays

The latest market analysis from House Buyer Bureau has revealed that home sellers in some parts of the country are facing Local Authority search waiting times of more than 90 days, with growing legal bottlenecks increasingly putting transactions at risk before they reach the finish line.   House Buyer Bureau analysed the latest Local Authority…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 14/5/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   The art of getting noticed as a recruiter in a world noisy with AI Why personal branding, humour and sharp messaging cuts through all – meet Daniel Fisher MREC Cert RP As a two times editor, journalist, author, analyst and consultant I get to…
Read More →
can you drink tap water
Letting Agent Talk

What tenants really want from a HMO in 2026

By Allison Thompson, Chief Lettings Officer, Leaders part of LRG   Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), also referred to as multi-lets or room rentals, have come a long way in the past couple of decades. Once thought of as very much at the bottom of the accommodation pile, with a reputation for being sub-standard, many…
Read More →
Estate Agent Talk

Rethinking Property Transactions Starts with Communication

By Cara Stanbridge, Head of Relationship Management at Nova Legal   Across the UK property market, transactions are in turmoil. Ongoing economic pressures are impacting house prices, mortgage deals, and overall demand, reflecting the uncertainty nationwide. In fact, a recent study found that for those who are taking the plunge to buy or sell this year,…
Read More →
Breaking News

B2L mortgage costs climb 64% in a decade

The latest research from London lettings and estate agent, Benham and Reeves, has revealed that the average monthly cost of a buy-to-let mortgage has climbed by as much as 64% over the last decade, as landlords continue to face mounting financial pressure alongside sweeping reforms introduced via the Renters’ Rights Act.   Benham and Reeves…
Read More →
Breaking News

Breaking Property News 13/5/26

Daily bite-sized proptech and property news in partnership with Proptech-X.   Renters’ Rights Act: What Estate Agents Need to Understand About the Tenant Impact   Author Andrew Stanton Editor EAN   The Renters’ Rights Act represents the biggest structural shift to the private rented sector in decades, and while much of the conversation has focused…
Read More →