Trade unions in Scotland are demanding that local council candidates sign a pledge to support “urgent” rent controls in that country.

The Scottish TUC’s local council elections manifesto includes the demand with STUC general secretary Roz Foyer saying: “Low pay, sky-rocketing energy costs in addition to increasing inflation has [sic] pushed workers across Scotland to the brink.

“This cannot continue. We need to see an urgent intervention from local authorities to pressure the Scottish Government for rent control legislation. This is over and above the long overdue increased funding for social housing programmes. 

“We’re calling on all council candidates to back our manifesto demands, ensuring tenants, workers and people across Scotland have the real assistance they need to tackle the spiralling cost of living crisis experienced by so many.”

Scotland’s controversial Green Party housing chief – who is part of a governing arrangement with Nicola Sturgeon’s Scottish National Party – has already published details of his plans for rent controls.

Patrick Harvie – who has the title Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights – says: “Now is the time to do more for people who rent their homes, whether they are renting privately, from the council or from a housing association. Delivering a new deal for tenants is central to our ambitions for a fairer Scotland, tackling child poverty and meeting climate change targets.

“Above all else it will significantly improve the lives of Scotland’s tenants, giving them more stability, more choice over where they live and how they decorate their homes, and the confidence that their home will be of a high quality. At the same time it will recognise the interests of good quality, responsible landlords.  

“We will be working in partnership with landlords, letting agents, tenants and others to deliver this strategy, and we want to gather the broadest range of views. I would encourage anyone with an interest to respond to our consultation.”

The huge 108 page consultation document explains that Scotland already has stricter constraints on landlords increasing rents than any other part of the UK.

The Private Residential Tenancy concept, which the then SNP-only Scottish Government introduced in December 2017, limited rent increases to once in 12 months, with a landlord required to give three months’ notice in advance of the increase; it also enabled tenants to challenge rent increases via adjudication by a Rent Officer; and it introduced the ability for local authorities to apply to Scottish Ministers to designate an area as being of Rent Pressure Zone status.

The new consultation document has the recommendation that “For private tenants seeking rent adjudication, we will change the legislation to only allow adjudications that either decrease or maintain it at the level proposed by the landlord.”