Landlords have announced plans for average rent increases.
The SNP MSP for Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse, Christina McKelvie, supports an agreement with social landlords on below-inflation rent increases for the next financial year.
Organisations representing social landlords have announced their members’ plans for average rent increases for 2023-24, which will keep rents significantly below private market levels.
Under the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) Act 2022, rents are effectively frozen in the social rented sectors until 31 March 2023. Decisions on future plans for the private sector rent freeze, as well as other measures contained in the Act, will be announced in the coming weeks.
Reacting, Christina said:
“I am glad that this agreement has been reached between the Scottish government and landlords that let social housing. This is vital for my constituents, especially during the winter period when energy costs are rising.
“I recognise the enormous pressures households in my constituencies are facing, and by making this announcement the government have given social tenants advance notice, and confidence that any rent increase will be well below inflation.
“The statements of intent from the social rented sector, based on consultations with tenants, will keep rents affordable while allowing social landlords to continue investing in essential services such as home improvements and maintenance, ensuring good quality social housing for my constituents, something I am proud of."
Councillor Maureen Chalmers, COSLA’s Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, said:
“This is good news for Local Authority tenants from Scotland’s Council Leaders today.
"In balancing the wide range of competing factors, Leaders with housing stock will seek to reach agreement with tenants over any increase in rents for the year 2023-24. Councils’ consultative arrangements would normally allow them, subject to approval of local governance structures, to raise rents annually to meet rising costs.
"During these difficult times, as providers of social housing and Gypsy/Traveller pitch or site provision, we intend to keep the rental and fee increases to an average of less than £5 a week across the country.”
Sally Thomas, Chief Executive at the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), said:
“We welcome the fact that Scottish Government has worked closely with the sector, to understand the evidence and avoid unintended consequences of this legislation, and to find a collaborative way forward. Investing in good quality, warm homes for social rent is crucial to tackling poverty in Scotland and protecting new and existing tenants from the increasing cost of living.”