Highland Green MSP Ariane Burgess calls for new powers protecting private rent tenants to be used by Highland Council after new Housing Bill is passed
A Highland MSP is calling Highland Council to introduce stronger protections and rent controls for private rental tenants — after the approval of new legislation which gives new powers to local authorities.
Scottish Green MSP Ariane Burgess has urged the council to introduce a rent control zone, by which councils can limit rent increases to 1 per cent above inflation, up to a maximum rent increase of 6 per cent.
This comes after a new housing bill proposing long-term rent controls was passed earlier this month, which also requires local authorities to act more quickly when people are at risk of homelessness, and introduces stronger protections and the right for renters to keep pets and decorate their homes.
According to Scottish Government statistics, between 2010 and 2024 average rents for a newly-let 2 bedroom flat in Highland reached £697, an increase of 38.5 per cent.
Ms Burgess said: “There are renters across our communities who have been ripped-off for far too long. I urge Highland Council to put a stop to it.
“The housing system is rigged against the vast majority of our communities, and these new powers can be a big step in starting to fix this. Rents in areas like the Highlands have skyrocketed while wages have stagnated.
“These powers would not have been introduced without the work of Scottish Green MSPs who introduced it and housing and tenants campaigners who have worked around the clock to make it a reality.
“Homes are for living in and not for profiteering. This is a crucial step to building a system that works for renters and families rather than rogue landlords who have had their way for far too long.”
The Bill was initially introduced by former Tenants' Rights minister Patrick Harvie in 2024 when the Scottish Greens were still part of the coalition government.