MSPs WILL CONSIDER RENT BILL IN U- TURN
AHOLYROOD committee has U- turned on a Glasgow MSP’s Members’ B i l l t o g ive bet t er protection to private sector tenants.
Earlier this year, the Local Government Committee said it didn’t have enough time to consider Labour MSP Pauline McNeill’s ( pictured) Fair Rents Bill.
Now, however, the committee has asked for views on the Bill, meaning it will consider it.
The previous decision not to consider the Bill was the subject of a judicial review petition at the Court of Session by Glasgow housing lawyer Mike Dailly acting on behalf of a private tenant.
Ms McNeill’s Bill would aim to strengthen private rented tenants’ rights.
She said: “I am delighted there has been a change of heart. It has never been needed more because of the help people need during the pandemic.
“I would like the Scottish Government to reconsider its position on the Bill.
“We need control over rents more than ever as part of serious reform of the private rented sector.”
The Bill, if it was successful and became law, would prevent a landlord of a private residential tenancy from increasing rent in any year by more than the Consumer Price Index ( CPI) measure of inflation plus 1%.
Last year, figures showed the average rent for a two- bedroom home in the Glasgow area in the private sector was £ 780- a- month.
Glasgow has seen cumulative rent rises in the private sector over the last decade of 38%, while the CPI figure over the same period was 20%.
It would also give the tenant the right at any time to apply to a rent officer for a “fair open market rent” to be set for a property.
The officer would be able to take into account matters such as whether the property has poor energy efficiency or is in a bad condition.
In Glasgow, the private rented sector has grown hugely, increasing by 10,000 from 37,000 homes to 47,000 over the past 10 years.
Many people who want to own their own home but can’t afford bigger deposits demanded by lenders are living in private rented accommodation, unable to save for deposits while at the same paying high rents.
Glasgow Cathcart SNP MSP James Dornan is chair of the Local Government and Communities Committee.
He said: “The proportion of households in private rented housing now stands at just under 15%.
“As the private rented sector in Scotland has grown over the last couple of decades there have been various reforms to tighten the regulation of landlords and give tenants more rights. But the stated ambition behind this Bill is to change the balance of power further.
“We are keen to hear views about whether this further change is necessary and whether the provisions in the Bill are workable and will have the intended impact.”
The committee said it also wants to understand what the financial impact of the Bill would be on private tenants, landlords and the wider rented sector.
Dornan added: “We welcome the opportunity to hear views on this proposed legislation.”
The cap on rent rises imposed by the Bill and the right to seek a “fair open market rent” would apply to holders of “Private Residential Tenancies” – which have been the standard type of tenancy since 2017.
The Bill will not impact rent- aroom agreements where the lodger rents in the owner’s home.