Housing providers frustrated at ‘disproportionate’ measures extended over private rented sector

Press Release

Extending emergency legislation governing rented housing will be to the detriment of the private rented sector, its tenants and landlords. 

Scottish Land & Estates (SLE) reacted to an announcement at Holyrood by Tenants’ Rights Minister Patrick Harvie that the measures contained in the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) Act 2022 will continue beyond March 31, 2023 for the private rented sector.  

Sarah-Jane Laing, chief executive of Scottish Land & Estates, said: “Our members provide homes throughout Scotland and will be very disappointed to hear the Minister’s statement today. Like social housing providers, our members use rental income to maintain and improve properties and this appears to be totally disregarded by Mr Harvie. We believe that these rent freeze measures are disproportionate. 

“We also refute the Minister’s claims that there has been engagement with the sector ahead of today’s announcement.” 

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Patrick Harvie's statement can be found here and you can watch the debate here.

Further information on the next steps that we and our partners in the coalition of landlord representative bodies are taking will be provided next week. In the meantime, if you have any queries on the legislative measures please access our Member Information Sheet or contact our housing policy lead Anna Gardiner at anna.gardiner@scottishlandandestates.co.uk or on 07436 790367.