Private sector rent controls in Scotland

Nicola Sturgeon is an advocate of rent controls, she has outlined plans in the Scottish Parliament to introduce them through a Private Tenancies Bill, personally I have always thought some form of rent control would be the most sensible way of keeping a cap on private sector rents, however this method of controlling rents should be researched at depth to ensure they work without harming both Landlord and Tenant.

The introduction of rent controls as exists in Germany cannot acheive the required outcome unless they go hand in hand with other changes such as tax incentives and land releases, making changes without looking at the bigger picture could quite honestly make a shambles of the delicately balanced  private rented sector.

According to an article by Dr John Boyle spokesperson for PRS 4 Scotland he says,  they are putting forward a “framework” that offers a basis to do this and we will be working with government and opposition parties to address the real issues in housing but also warning of the dangers of adopting a rent control system which would be so detrimental to tenants, landlord and indeed homeowners in Scotland.

Original article can be seen: http://www.scotsman.com/news/rented-sector-needs-proper-policy-to-solve-shortage-1-3883461

 

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

Mortgage approvals down 11% in May

The latest mortgage approval data from the Bank of England show that: –   Mortgage approvals on house purchases for May sat at 56,205 down (-14.9%) from 66,034 seen in April. Approvals are down (-10.8%) when compared to the 62,980 seen in May 2025. This annual decline was expected due to wider political and economic uncertainty;…
Read More
Breaking News

Money and Credit – May 2026

Overview These monthly statistics on the amount of, and interest rates on, borrowing and deposits by households and businesses are used by the Bank’s policy committees to understand economic trends and developments in the UK banking system. Key points: Net borrowing of mortgage debt by individuals decreased to £2.9 billion in May, from £4.4 billion…
Read More
Breaking News

More than 5,300 land listings currently available in Britain

The latest research from LandSale, the property portal dedicated to land and rural property, has revealed that there are an estimated 5,373 land listings currently available across Great Britain, with almost a quarter, 24.9%, listed in the past 30 days. The analysis examined all land-only listings currently being marketed across Great Britain. LandSale assessed the…
Read More
Breaking News

Build to rent completions rise 11.7%

New research from Zero Deposit reveals that the UK’s build-to-rent sector has continued its strong growth trajectory in 2026, with both delivery and investment volumes increasing year on year as demand for professionally managed rental accommodation remains robust. As the sector expands and operators manage larger portfolios of high-value rental homes, protecting rental income is becoming…
Read More
Estate Agent Talk

Has the doer-upper lost its shine?

First-time buyers, once the doer-upper’s natural market, have changed their priorities – and what they want now is certainty. For decades, the doer-upper held a particular place in British life: the tired house bought cheap, done up over years of weekends and sold on as the home it always promised to be. It was a…
Read More
Crowded beaches - Clacton-on-Sea in Essex
Breaking News

1 in 7 consider moving home to manage cooling costs in hotter weather

Two in five adults (40 per cent) say they would prefer to invest in home improvements to reduce overheating from the outset, rather than rely on cooling devices Three in 10 (30 per cent) are concerned about the impact of using electricity for cooling on their energy bills, while over four in 10 (44 per…
Read More