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Nicola Sturgeon announces rent freeze plan and eviction ban in Scotland
Scotland’s first minister has announced plans for an immediate rent freeze for social housing and private tenants and an eviction ban as she branded the cost of living crisis a “humanitarian emergency”.
Unveiling her Programme for Government at Holyrood today, Ms Sturgeon said “emergency” legislation would be introduced to help struggling tenants in the private and social rented sector.
“Firstly, [the legislation] will aim to give people security about the roof over their heads this winter through a moratorium on evictions,” she said.
“Secondly, the legislation will include measures to deliver a rent freeze.”
The “temporary” measures will stay in place until the end of next March “at least”, Ms Sturgeon said.
She said she hoped the "practical effect" of her speech would mean rents are frozen from today.
A 34-page document outlining the Scottish government’s legislative plans said: “We… intend to act to prevent immediate rent increases.”
Plans to tighten the rent cap for social housing in England were announced by the Westminster government last week.
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Ms Sturgeon’s announcement comes as fears of a global recession mount amid soaring inflation. The first minister said the steps were to “mitigate the impact of a rapidly escalating crisis”.
She called for action to reform the energy market, a freeze on energy bills and more financial support for those already struggling to pay the bills, but said the Scottish government is reliant on the Westminster administration to act.
Ms Sturgeon welcomed reports that new prime minister Liz Truss is looking to freeze energy bills. However she urged Ms Truss to convene a four-nation meeting of political leaders to look at helping households.
Elsewhere in her speech, Scotland’s first minister said a new housing bill will be introduced this parliamentary year.
This will “improve affordability for the longer term”, “strengthen rights for tenants”, “implement key policies on short-term lets” and help the “prevention of homelessness”, she said.
The official document said the bill will mean “further reform of the rental sector”, which will help to deliver a so-called ‘New Deal for Tenants’.
Exact timings for when the bill will be published will be kept under “close review”, the document said.
More households will also be helped to install energy-efficiency measures, while eligibility for Scotland’s Warmer Homes Programme will be extended, Ms Sturgeon said.
A £25m scheme – known as the Clyde Mission Heat Decarbonisation Fund – will also be launched to support zero-emission heat projects and communal heating systems along the River Clyde, Ms Sturgeon said.
An emergency Budget is also planned for Scotland within two weeks of an expected Budget by the Westminster government, Ms Sturgeon said.
The plans for a rent freeze come after Labour MSP Mercedes Villalba campaigned for action. Ms Villalba welcomed the news on Twitter said, but said: “Now let’s reduce rents for good”.
However, a group representing landlords has attacked the proposals.
John Blackwood, chief executive of the Scottish Association of Landlords, said: “Once again the Scottish government fails to grasp the reality of Scotland’s housing crisis and has chosen the easy option of attacking landlords for political reasons, which will only further reduce the supply of housing, putting more people at risk. This is not a solution, it will only cause more hardship.”
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