Rent Rates Hit A High

The cost of renting a home in Scotland has reached a record high, of almost £550 a month, as demand grows.

According to estate agent Your Move, prices increased by just over 3% compared with last year.

Glasgow saw the biggest year-on-year rise, with typical rents up 4.6% since June 2014.

Adam Lang, Head of Communications and Policy at Shelter Scotland, said: “When wages are stagnant and people are already struggling with housing costs, a rent increase above inflation only makes it even harder for people – especially young families and those on lower incomes - to make ends meet and keep a roof over their head.
 
“Coupled with recent proposals to remove housing benefit support from under 21 year olds – making it even harder for young people to make a home in the private rented sector - all time high rents are bad news for those who are already struggling to keep up with rent payments.
 
“The fact that thousands of households struggled to pay their rent on time in the last year is mirrored by the number of calls to our free national helpline from tenants seeking advice – 46% of the total calls to the helpline were from private renters.
 
“That’s why our Make Renting Right campaign wants to see reform of the private rented sector. We want to see a sector that provides long-term homes, not short-term housing, for the 312,000 households who now rely on it – which includes more than 80,000 families with children.”
 
“The root cause of high rents is a major lack of affordable housing across Scotland. To meaningfully tackle our housing crisis, we need to build 10,000 new social homes every year to help those for whom the prospect of a home of their own is still well out of reach. This will bring hope to the 150,500 households on council waiting lists across Scotland.”
 
Adam Lang added: "Every day we hear from people who are feeling overwhelmed by mounting rent or mortgage bills, as the increasing pressure of sky-high housing costs continues to take its toll.
 
"We understand it is all too easy to bury your head in the sand hoping the problem will go away. But if you're in this situation, it's so important to remember you're not alone and that help is at hand.
 
"Advice from Shelter Scotland is only a click or a phone call away - so get advice early to prevent things from spiralling out of control. Visit shelterscotland.org or call our free national helpline on 0808 800 4444.”

Meanwhile, Scottish Labour say the case for reform of the private rented sector cannot be ignored any longer.
 
The party has called for the SNP Government in Edinburgh to 'wake up' to the reality of the private rented sector, and back their plans to reform the rental market.
 
Last year the SNP voted against Labour’s plans to ban rip off rent rises in the private rental sector in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014.
 
Scottish Labour Housing spokesperson Michael McMahon said: “Landlords are making more whilst more tenants struggle. The SNP Government in Edinburgh cannot continue to turn a blind eye to rent reform.
 
“We need to reform the private rental sector to make it work for everyone, rather than simply act as a cash cow for landlords. It needs to serve the families unable to get a foot on the property ladder or access to social housing.
 
“An unfair rent hike from a bad landlord is the last thing anybody needs, especially the over 100,000 households in Scotland who live in poverty and rent privately.
 
“Scottish Labour would ban rip off rent rises. This is about making the system fit for purpose. When the SNP opposed our plans last year they sided with Tories and bad landlords, rather than with tenants across Scotland.”