The overwhelming majority of people want rent controls to ensure landlords cannot keep hiking rents, according to polling commissioned by the Scottish Green Party.
The polling, conducted north of the Border, shows that 74% of people support rent controls and 83% believe that rents are too high compared to income levels in Scotland.
It also claims to show that over two thirds (69%) support Green plans to force landlords to sell long-term derelict land and housing that they are sitting on.
Amendments proposed by Maggie Chapman – a Green Party Member of the Scottish Parliament – to the Housing (Scotland) Bill would create rent controls across Scotland, ensuring that rents can’t rise faster than incomes.
Chapman says: “These protections put people over landlord profits, putting money back into people’s pockets and supporting renters through the ongoing cost of living crisis when bills and other costs are soaring. It is no wonder that there is such strong support for rent controls. The housing market is completely broken and it is renters who are paying the price. It underlines just how crucial it is that we take action.
“We’ve all seen how much damage is being done by rogue landlords who have been given carte blanche to line their pockets through massive rent increases.
“Not only does this hurt renters, often pushing them into poverty or even homelessness, but it hurts our economy as people have less money to spend.
“This is why the Scottish Greens implemented a rent freeze and eviction ban during Covid, saving people thousands of pounds, and it’s why we so strongly opposed the SNP ending the protections that we put in place afterwards.
“With the Housing Bill going through parliament we have the opportunity to stop the exploitation of renters and end rip-off rents. We must seize it.
“We must offer people and their families some financial stability, and less worry about losing the roof over their heads. Homes are for living in and not for profiteering. We need to make unaffordable rent hikes become a thing of the past.”
