Make Renting Right
We did it!
The new Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill has now been passed by the Scottish Parliament. At the end of 2017 this new legislation will be introduced and private renters will have a more secure home!
Thank you to all our supporters who have helped us to effectively engage with the Bill process to make a huge difference for the 330,000 households who live in private rented accommodation.
There’s still more to do though – we need to ensure this legislation works well in practice when it’s introduced and that private renters know about their new rights.
We called for
- Stability for people wanting to make rented housing their home.
Stability
A stable private rented sector would be good for both tenants and landlords, as it would ensure that renting privately is seen as a positive choice for all.
If tenants feel more secure in their homes, they can play a bigger part in their community whether that’s children settled in school, local initiatives or getting to know neighbours.
Security, from the fear of eviction for no reason, will help build a valuable, trusting relationship between all landlords and tenants. And landlords benefit from more secure and guaranteed income.
- Flexibility for people to stay in their home as long as they need.
Flexibility
The private rented sector is changing. Current demand suggests that while some people want the option of a tenancy that lasts for as long as they need it, others want flexibility if they need to move.
We want a tenancy regime that can respond to people’s needs and work for both landlords and tenants. For tenants, it is about striking the balance between being able to live as long as they need in a property, with due consideration given to the landlord in terms of adequate notice when they want to leave.
- A modern tenancy that gives security and flexibility for tenants AND landlords.
A modern tenancy
To meet current and future demand in the private rented sector, we need a modern tenancy agreement which works for both tenants and landlords.
That means a more secure tenancy for people who need it and modernisation of the processes and timeframes for landlords, should they need someone to leave their property.
A modern tenancy regime for private renters should reflect that the sector is growing and need to work for different individuals and families.
- A fair system for sorting out renting problems when they occur.
A fair system
When problems do occur, we want to see a better way of resolving them.
The introduction of the Private Rented Sector Tribunal, a formal dispute resolution process, where both tenants and landlords can have easy access to help resolve issues, will help achieve this.
- Predictable rents for tenants and landlords.
Predictable rents
We want to see a private rented sector where rents are fair and a system where any rent increases are proportionate and structured so tenants can prepare for changes in their rent.
A new, modern tenancy regime should formalise this process.
Who is part of the campaign?
In addition to support from the public, the campaign has received the backing of MSPs, Councillors and other organisations.
See who has signed upWhy have people signed up?
"It's really important for people to feel settled and secure in their homes."
- Jean, Glasgow
Your stories
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Sarah's Story
Her landlord unexpectedly tried to increase her rent by well-above inflation.
She was already having difficulty paying her rent as her wages didn’t cover all of her rent.
Instead of negotiating a lower rent increase her landlord ended her tenancy and evicted Sarah.
Models have been used to protect the identities of client stories
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Laura's Story
Laura and her friends were forced to move out for two weeks and were not given somewhere else to live and their landlord still made them pay rent.
The landlord threatened to evict Laura if she or her flatmates complained about this situation.
Models have been used to protect the identities of client stories
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Robert's Story
When he finally moved in he found that the property was still in a poor standard of repair, which meant he was having to pay far more for the heating than he should need to.
After Robert complained to his landlord about the state of the property, he was asked to leave at the end of his 6 month tenancy.
Models have been used to protect the identities of client stories
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Anne's Story
She wrote to her landlord to ask for repairs to be carried out but nothing happened. She then found out that the gas boiler was unsafe and raised this with her landlord – instead of fixing the disrepair her landlord issued her with an eviction notice midway through her tenancy.
Shelter Scotland were able to intervene to help her stay in her home, but she is still worried her landlord may ask her to leave at some point for no reason.
Models have been used to protect the identities of client stories
Why the private rented sector?
Who does this affect?
- There are currently 330,000 households living in homes that are rented privately across Scotland
- That is 14% of all housing in Scotland.
- 1 in 4 private rented households have children.
- The number of households living in the private rented sector has more than doubled in the last 10 years.