Emergency rent freeze and eviction ban laws passed in Scotland
The Scottish government has passed a bill that changes the rules around rental accommodation, including a rent freeze until the end of March next year.
The new Tenant Protection Bill has been introduced as part of the government’s response to the current cost of living increases.
The bill includes a cap on rent increases after 6 September 2022, and a six-month ban on evictions.
How long will the Tenant Protection Bill last?
At the moment, the bill is set to be in place until 31st March, 2023. But there’s an option of extending the bill for two further periods of six months, into 2024. The government say they’ll review the measures every three months to make sure they reflect the current cost of living situation.
How does the rent freeze in Scotland work?
The emergency rent cap applies to tenants who rent their home from a private landlord or from a local authority.
The cap is set at zero and applies to all proposed rent increases from 6 September 2022 onwards (the date the government first announced its plans for the bill).
If a rent increase was issued before 6 September 2022, the new cap will not apply. The government will be able to vary the cap as is deemed necessary – in response to “changes in the wider economic circumstances” – while the bill is in place.
How does the Scottish eviction ban work?
Evictions will only be allowed under certain circumstances. The ban is in place for private and social sector rentals, and student accommodation. The maximum of six months’ delay will apply to individual cases, unless the legislation ceases to be in place before then.
The Scottish government hopes the measure will “provide more time for people to seek support and find alternative accommodation that meets their needs”.
There are some cases when the ban won’t apply, which the Scottish government has listed in the bill’s overview.
Take a look at our renting guides
The header image for this article was provided courtesy of Murray & Currie, Edinburgh.
