Tenants storm developer's Edinburgh offices over 'unaffordable' rent hike plans
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Protesters have called for the retraction of a 24% rent increase and government intervention
Edinburgh tenants stormed the offices of their landlord in protest after the company proposed upping their rent by 24 per cent.
Members of the national tenants' union Living Rent joined residents at the offices of developer PLATFORM_ on Friday, demanding the company rescind the rent hike plans.
They also called on the Scottish Government to include mid and intermediate market rent in any rent controls that are introduced.
Intermediate or mid-market rent is an affordable housing scheme that provides homes for individuals on lower to middle incomes. These properties are excluded from rent controls.
The block of flats in which PLATFORM_ is planning to increase the rent has 463 flats, of which approximately 116 are intermediate market rent flats.
The 24 per cent hike so far applies to tenants who moved into the development when it was first built in November 2024. Currently tenants who moved in later have not had the increase applied.
When it comes into effect, the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 will allow for long-term, evidence-based rent controls to be introduced in areas where rents are rising steeply. Rent increases are set to be capped to inflation plus one per cent for properties in the private rented sector.
Aditi Jehangir, Living Rent Edinburgh’s secretary, called the increases “beyond acceptable” and said that the increase is “completely unaffordable” for those in intermediate-market tenancies.
She added: “This behaviour highlights the complete lack of regulation or oversight of the intermediate and mid market sector. How can those on low incomes be expected to fork up increases that have increased beyond the rate of the open market.
“It is shocking that there is nothing protecting mid market tenants from landlords from hiking up their rents beyond what is affordable.
“This behaviour by PLATFORM_ is the perfect example of why mid-market tenancies can not be made exempt from rent controls. Mid market tenants desperately need rent controls now.”
Resident Imogen Mackinnon said the rent increase would mean “leaving behind the community [I] have built with my son, and also my partner has lived in this area for coming up five years. We would be really sad to leave [Platform_] as we are so comfortable here but unfortunately it is out of our hands.”
One resident who attended the protest, Allan Ramsay, said he has been renting for his entire adult life. He has already been priced out of the private rental market following a rent increase of more than 35 per cent around a year ago and had been accepted as an intermediate-market rent tenant at PLATFORM_.
He added: “I found out about this and it’s means-tested according to your salary. You give over what you earn and explain your situation. When I got accepted, in that moment was one of the best days. It was such a relief to finally be able to call a place home in Edinburgh. I’m from here and I was really starting to think I couldn’t afford to live in my home city anymore.”
Mr Ramsay continued: “Edinburgh needs to recognise that while the cost of housing is going through the roof, people’s salaries have not been keeping up with that for years and years. You want Edinburgh to be a welcoming place. I want people to be able to make Edinburgh their home without having to be rich.”
A spokesperson for PLATFORM_ in Edinburgh said: “Rents for Intermediate Market apartments are set in line with the Scottish Government's published Broad Rental Market Area rent schedule and in accordance with the planning framework for the development.
“We are confident that our Intermediate Rent apartments continue to provide excellent value for residents, remaining significantly below comparable open market rents in Edinburgh, while offering access to a professionally managed development with a dedicated on site team and a range of high-quality on-site amenities, including a gym, roof terraces and co-working facilities.
“We encourage any residents with questions about their tenancy to contact the team directly.”