The Scottish Government’s private rent freeze will expire on 31 March 2024, allowing landlords to increase rent prices.
Rent freeze background
The freeze was established for six months in October 2022 to regulate prices for tenants during the cost of living crisis. It was extended in April 2023 for six months, before being extended again in October 2023 for another six months.
During the cap, private landlords could only raise the rent by up to three per cent, once per year.
If they could prove extraordinary costs, landlords could apply to raise rent by up to six per cent.
Furthermore, a six-month delay was placed on most evictions, and damages of up to 36 months of rental income were levied against those who carried out unlawful evictions.
The cap only applied to private tenants, as university accommodation tenants faced a nine per cent rental increase.
A list of those affected by the freeze, and soon affected by its expiry, can be found here.
What does the expiry mean?
Bluntly, it means that from 1 April, landlords can freely increase the rent on their properties across Scotland.
However, subject to Parliamentary approval, from 1 April, the system of contesting rent levels will change for a year.
You must first notify your landlord of your intention to contest the rent increase. Then, you raise it with a rent officer at Rent Service Scotland, or a First-tier Tribunal, who will set the rent based on whichever of the following three figures has the lowest value:
- the open market rate
- the rent increase requested by the landlord
- a comparator based on the difference between the market rate and the current rate
Citizens Advice, Shelter Scotland, and the Scottish Government website contain further information about tenant rights.
A Scottish Government publication on continuing rent protection following the rent freeze expiration can also be found here.
Featured Image Credit: Mikhail Nilov on Pexels.com