'Completely unaffordable': Edinburgh charity worker left with just £50 a week after massive rent hike
‘I will no longer be able to afford to visit my family in Aberdeen,’ - Chloe Shand
An Edinburgh charity worker is facing a 29 per cent rent rise for her one-bedroom flat in Portobello, forcing her to find an extra £190 every month.
Chloe Shand says the increase from £660 to £850 per month is "completely unaffordable" and would leave her with just £50 a week after rent, bills and groceries.
Tenants' union Living Rent has condemned the rise - more than 10 times the current rate of inflation - as "disproportionate and unreasonable". It said such a massive increase was opportunist, predatory and failed to consider the significant impact it would have on Ms Shand.
And Living Rent members staged a protest at the offices of Erskine Property Management in Dalkeith to demand the cancellation of the increase and urging the firm to meet Ms Shand to discuss an affordable way forward.
Ms Shand has lived in her ground-floor flat in Portobello for more than five years and says she has always paid her rent on time, kept the property in a good state of repair and reported any issues.
The property was originally managed by Cairn Estate Agents and was sold to new landlords with Ms Shand as a sitting tenant in December 2025. Erskine Property Management took over management and visited the flat to complete a property valuation, then issued Ms Shand with a new tenancy agreement in March, saying the previous agency had lost the original, followed by a rent increase notice in May.
Ms Shand said:“I spend my days helping people recover their mental health which is ironic as I’ve been struggling with my own since May due to this impending rent increase.
“I’ve always been able to afford to live and work in Edinburgh for the last 20 years. I’m rooted in my community in Portobello having lived here for over five years and I’ve maintained good relationships with my neighbours and previous lettings agent for four.
“To try and stay ahead of rising costs, I’ve changed my job twice in the last six months, improving my income by £300. This rent increase will totally wipe out these gains, putting me on a subsistence income of £50 per week after all outgoings.
“I will no longer be able to afford to visit my family in Aberdeen, participate in community life. Massively increasing my rent will isolate me and be detrimental to my health and wellbeing.”
Izzi Brannen, Living Rent member defence organiser, said: “This rent increase is appalling and to expect anyone to just suddenly be able to pay an extra £190 per month is completely unreasonable. Chloe’s life will be completely upturned by this increase, she will be isolated from her family and cut out from her community.
“This is a prime example of opportunist lettings agents placing profit over people and taking advantage of the over-inflated private rental market to gouge their tenants’ pockets.
“Erskine Property Management must stop this rent increase now and negotiate with Chloe a reasonable outcome.”
Erskine Property Management was contacted for comment.