Greens call for capital to take the lead against rising rents

Edinburgh could be the first council in Scotland to use new powers to tackle soaring rents in the private rented sector, the city’s Green councillors have argued.

The Greens have published new research which shows that city rents have soared by 40% in the last 7 years, far outstripping wages or general inflation.

This means, the party claims, that Edinburgh council should be at the head of the queue to use new legal powers to declare the whole city a “Rent Pressure Zone”.  This would have the effect of limiting rent rises to no more than 1% above the rate of inflation.

Green housing spokesperson Cllr Susan Rae said: “Edinburgh has the biggest and most expensive private rented sector in Scotland. With an expanding population and especially with so many young people who cannot get close to affording to buy a home, it’s been a bonanza time for private landlords.

“So it is time to rebalance that.  The power to introduce a rent pressure zone is a very modest step in the right direction but it shows that the days of charging whatever the market allows are numbered.  That is why I was delighted the council backed me in calling for a rent pressure zone back in June.  This report today shows just how much Edinburgh’s tenants need it.”

The report, by Edinburgh University student, Ben Parker, looks at rising rent costs in Edinburgh over the last seven years and shows how limiting rents to 1% above inflation would have helped tenants, both over those 7 years and into the future.