SNP vote for rent controls north of the border.

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

Estate Agent Talk

Riskiest Places to Purchase Property in England

Cash House Buyer Sell House Fast has revealed the riskiest places to buy and sell property in England, based on factors such as crime rates, flood risk, air pollution levels, road collision rates, and coastal erosion risk. The 5 riskiest places for buying and selling property in England: 1 – North East Lincolnshire (Overall Risk…
Read More
Breaking News

House prices steady in May despite broader market uncertainty

The latest Halifax House Price Index for May 2026 shows that: House prices fell by -0.1% between April 2026 and May 2026. This marks the second consecutive month of marginal monthly decline. Annual house price growth increased slightly to 0.5% in May 2026, up from 0.4% in April 2026. The average UK house price now…
Read More
Breaking News

Halifax House Price Index – May 2026

House prices steady in May despite broader market uncertainty. House prices edged down -0.1% in May, following a similar -0.1% fall in April Average property price now £298,806, compared with £299,251 in April Annual growth up slightly to +0.5%, from +0.4% in April Northern Ireland continues to record the UK’s strongest annual growth at +7.8%…
Read More
Breaking News

More mortgage borrowers turning to shorter-term fixes

Borrowers are increasingly turning to shorter-term fixed-rate mortgages in response to higher rates, new analysis of mortgage search activity on Moneyfactscompare.co.uk has found. The share of Moneyfactscompare.co.uk website users comparing two-year fixed-rate mortgages increased from 48.4% in February to 55.6% in May, while demand for five-year fixed deals fell from 27.7% to 21.8% over the…
Read More
Breaking News

Fear of a chain-breaks biggest concern in current market

The latest insight from quick sale specialists, House Buyer Bureau, has found that the most common reason homeowners choose a quick sale is no longer financial hardship, ill health, or the death of a loved one, but the desire to keep their onward move on track in an increasingly uncertain housing market. The internal data from…
Read More
Breaking News

Property auctions generate complaints at four times the rate of the wider housing market

Property auctions account for just 2% of home sales but generate more than four times their share of complaints, according to a new insight report by the Property Ombudsman. The report highlights that while auctions remain a relatively small part of the wider residential property market, they are generating a disproportionately high level of consumer…
Read More