TRADE unionist members of the SNP have issued a call for the Scottish Government to reverse its policy on temporary rent controls.
The SNP Trade Union Group (TUG) – an official SNP-affiliated organisation – has called for Housing Minister Kevin Stewart and the Scottish Government to rethink its opposition to proposals to protect tenants and instead introduce new legislation to lower rents and limit evictions.
Last month, SNP MSPs voted down Scottish Greens’ amendments to the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Bill which would have ensured a two-year rent freeze for tenants and would have prevented evictions on the basis of arrears accrued during the Covid-19 emergency period.
The proposed legislation would also have established a Tenants Hardship Fund, but the Scottish Government opposed the amendments saying there were already payments going to tenants in hardship while the rents freeze was opposed by social housing providers. Speaking at Holyrood at the time, Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie warned First Minister Nicola Sturgeon that Scotland would suffer a “tidal wave of evictions” unless tenants are protected from the impact of coronavirus.
SNP and Tory MSPs rejected the amendments to emergency coronavirus legislation after Sturgeon criticised the proposals.
Harvie said: “It’s hard to see now what is going to prevent a tidal wave of evictions sweeping people into homelessness services, which were barely coping before the pandemic.”
The First Minister said the amendments were “flawed”, “unnecessary”, and “would have had serious negative unintended consequences”.
She said: “One of the amendments called for a tenants’ fund – we already provide financial assistance to people who have difficulties paying rent through discretionary housing payments (DHPs), we don’t need to establish a new fund.
“Our responsibilities to make sure DHPs are properly resourced and we will continue to monitor and do that.”
Now in a letter to Stewart, the TUG has called for the Scottish Government to bring forward new legislation to protect tenants’ rights with protections against Covid-19 arrears evictions and a rent freeze.
The TUG has also called for the party leadership to introduce legislation for rent controls – a policy backed by SNP party conference in 2016.
Commenting, a spokesperson for the TUG said: “With incomes being cut and jobs being lost, tenants – often the most vulnerable people – cannot be expected to pay more and more to their landlords and face eviction. The SNP must be the party to stand up for tenants through rent controls and increased protections.
“Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, both social and private landlords were inflicting unsustainable runaway rents forcing people to spend greater proportions of their income. This is entrenching inequality and the Scottish Government must address the imbalance with rent controls – as called for by the SNP’s own members four years ago.
“Housing is a human right and no one should be made homeless or be expected to pay unfair rents, especially during an economic and health crisis. Tenants need certainty that they will be protected instead of being expected to subsidise landlords’ lifestyles during crises. We must ensure dignity for tenants through fair rents.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel