Private landlords and students’ union lock heads over rental crisis
The Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) has attacked the Scottish Government over “anti-landlord” legislation which it says has left fewer properties available for students.
It comes after the National Unionofstudents(nus)reported“intimidatinglandlords”and “sky-high rents” last week.
While recognising the seriousproblemscotland’shousing sector has with student housing, the SAL said this has been caused by the Private Residential Tenancy (PRT) introduced in 2017.
The organisation claimed this legislation has reduced the number of homes available to studentsaslandlordshavebeen unable to offer fixed-term leases which matched term times.
Chief executive of SAL John
Blackwood said the governmentmustrecognisetheessentialroleprivatelandlordsplayin Scotland’s housing sector and stop portraying landlords are exploitative.
He said: “We are just beginning to see some of the consequences of the hostile antilandlord rhetoric from the government as landlords leave the sector in fear of planned rent controlsandatotalbanonevictions.theministerfortenants’ Rights [ Patrick Harvie] must stop portraying the entire private rented sector as ‘exploitative’ and understand the essentialroleprivatelandlordsplayin Scotland’s housing sector.”
Thechiefexecutivewentonto warnofashortageofproperties availabletorentoverthewinter whichwillincreasepressureon emergency housing provided by the council.
Members of the SAL have reportedadropof80percentor more in the number of properties available to let in the country, over the last two months. Last week, it emerged one flat in Edinburgh’s Morningside had received 626 inquiries in the space of a week.
Mrblackwoodsaidthisshortageisbeingcausedbylandlords choosing to leave the sector since 2017 due to the new legislation.
Hesaid:“wearehearingfrom members across Scotland of a chronic shortage of homes to rentandthattheyexpectittoget worse in the coming months.
“Landlordsandlettingagents are telling us of huge drops in the normal number of properties they would normally have available to rent, with some saying they have none at all left to let, despite enquiries from hundreds of people looking for a home.”