Scots landlords meet new housing minister over rent control worries

Landlords in Scotland are encouraged by the new Housing Secretary’s willingness to collaborate – but remain concerned about a lack of clarity over rent controls.

Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) chief executive, John Blackwood (pictured), has voiced fears about the Housing (Scotland) Bill and its potential impact on the PRS to Mairi McAllan.

“Her predecessor, Paul McLennan, spoke warmly about the need to ‘reset’ the relationship that the Scottish government has with the private rented sector and Scotland’s landlords in particular, and that is the spirit in which we intend to work with Mairi McAllan,” he tells LandlordZONE.

“I found the Cabinet Secretary to be open and positive in her attitude, and I look forward to working with her, particularly on areas of contention where I hope she is willing to engage quite as positively, such as rent controls and the additional dwelling supplement.”

Housing emergency

The government’s newly announced Tackling Scotland’s Housing Emergency strategy confirms its ambitions to bring empty homes back into use and boost affordable housing delivery. It also promises to bring Awaab’s Law into force from March 2026 and – under the Housing (Scotland) Bill - includes a long-term system of rent controls.

SAL’s discussion with McAllan centred on the need for flexibility in rent setting - particularly in rent control areas – where, under the current proposals, landlords would be restricted from adjusting rents between tenancies, even when rates fall below market value. Blackwood also urged the government to consider a moratorium on the additional dwelling supplement for new property purchases.

He adds: “Encouragingly, Ms McAllan expressed a willingness to collaborate and find balanced solutions. Her newly announced action plan to tackle Scotland’s housing emergency includes a proposal to exempt mid-market rent and build-to-rent properties from rent controls – an indication of responsiveness to industry concerns. Whether these exemptions will be extended to private landlords offering below-market rents remains an open question.”

Propertymark reckons the government has overlooked the crucial role of individual private landlords in its plans and Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns, says: “The burdensome legislation and rent control measures deter these landlords from remaining in the market or investing in improvements.”