A Green Party councillor is demanding that tenants be allowed to write the local authority’s policy for the private rental sector.
According to the Glasgow Times, Christy Mearns is moving a motion at the council urging that a tenant-led commission be setting up to recommend reforms to the current private rental sector in the city.
The Greens are contacting tenants asking them to lobby their councillors – of all parties – to support the idea.
In the recent past the council has called for a Rent Pressure Zone – a form of rent control allowed by the Scottish Government – but this has not been implemented.
Mearns claims rents in the city “continue to rise at unacceptable levels” and says stronger measures are needed.
The newspaper quotes her as saying: “The evidence is clear that in Glasgow renters are paying more, year after year, for often substandard private housing and without the kind of security that’s common in most other European countries.
“Three years ago, the council voted on a cross-part basis to progress a Rent Pressure Zone for the city, but it’s clear that even this limited form of rent control can’t be implemented.
“The council lacks the powers to protect private tenants, even during a global pandemic when the need couldn’t be stronger.
“Scottish Greens want all parties on the council to come together and agree, on the basis of evidence, that Glasgow’s renters are in crisis and we need to give them a leading role in driving vital reforms.”
The motion requests the council writes to the Scottish Government’s housing minister asking for further action to ensure “effective regulation of the private-rented sector” so that it provides “secure, affordable, low carbon, high quality housing for tenants”.
