City renters should be protected from unfair rises - Lorna Slater

Scottish Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater

The change will effectively end all limits on landlords and allow them to change whatever they want.

The measures it is removing, which capped rent increases at 12 per cent for those who applied to a rent officer, were secured by my Green colleague Patrick Harvie. They protected renters from the most extortionate hikes as part of our move towards a fairer system.

From today, landlords will no longer be constrained. The Scottish Government's failure to extend safeguards has left thousands vulnerable to soaring costs, at a time when they can least afford it.

Scottish Housing Minister Paul McLennan is keeping his options open on future rent controls (Picture: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

Edinburgh is already one of the most expensive places to rent or buy a home. The cost of renting in the Capital has surged by nearly 40 per cent over the last decade, with some areas seeing even steeper increases.

This situation has been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis, with wages failing to keep pace with the costs of basic necessities and bills.

The protections the SNP have allowed to expire were introduced to prevent exactly this kind of situation.

Renters will begin receiving notices of increases, often with little ability to challenge them. For many, it could mean choosing between heating their homes, feeding their families or keeping a roof over their heads.

At a time when all parties in parliament acknowledge we are in a housing emergency, the Scottish Government’s decision under housing minister Paul McLennan (pictured) to let these protections lapse is indefensible.

Responsible landlords should have nothing to fear from a fair and sustainable rental system. This decision only benefits the rogue landlords who prioritise profit over people.

It doesn’t have to be like this. The Scottish Government can make a U-turn. If they fail to, thousands will be pushed further into hardship and the housing crisis will only deepen.

In the long term, we need a robust and permanent system of rent controls - one that ensures stability, protects tenants and prevents excessive profiteering in the housing market.

A home is a fundamental right. It is not a commodity to be exploited for maximum financial gain. Renters deserve better and the Scottish Greens will continue fighting to ensure they get it.