Student accommodation will be included in the Scottish Government’s plans to temporarily freeze rents across the country, it has been confirmed. Nicola Sturgeon announced earlier this month that emergency legislation would be tabled at Holyrood which would ban landlords from raising rents in both public and private lets until at least March 31 next year – but there is already speculation it could be extended further.
But it was unclear if the rent freeze would also apply to students living in purpose-built student accommodation. Such blocks have become common sights in Scottish cities as developers cash in on increasing demand for university places.
Scottish Labour MSP Mercedes Villalba wrote to Patrick Harvie, minister for tenants’ rights, to demand the freeze also included student lets. She said: “Students in purpose-built accommodation are no less affected by exploitative rent hikes. How will you ensure the rent freeze applies to these households too?”
Private rents in Glasgow have shot up to £1,000 a month on average in the last year while they now stand at £1,200 in Edinburgh. Around 700,000 Scots rent privately, with a further one million living in homes owned by councils or housing associations.
Experts have warned there are not enough flats to meet demand with many landlords having sold up and tenants staying in a property for longer.
