Tenants at a new Edinburgh housing development have protested against proposed rent increases of up to 18.4% which they claim breach local allowance regulations.
Residents at the Dockside apartments in Leith displayed a large banner across the building on Tuesday demanding the cancellation of the hikes.
The increase affects income-assessed intermediate-market rent (IMR) tenants, who face paying an extra £137 per month for a one-bedroom flat or £122 for a two-bedroom property.
Campaigners from Living Rent, the tenants’ union, say the new rates exceed Local Housing Allowance (LHA) caps and have accused the landlord of opportunistic behaviour.
To qualify for an IMR property at the development, where rents are capped at LHA rates, household incomes must not exceed £58,331
For a one-bedroom intermediate rent flat, the weekly LHA rate in Edinburgh is capped at £172.60, but the new charges would push the rent to £204.37 per week, breaching the allowance limit.
Similarly, a two-bedroom property would rise to £251.50 per week, exceeding the £223.23 cap.
Living Rent argue the proposed increases make the properties unaffordable for residents who took out leases on the understanding that rent would remain at intermediate levels.
The rent increases are set to come into effect on 1 November, which marks exactly one year since many of the tenancies began.
Under Scottish regulations, landlords can only increase rent once every 12 months.
On 1 October, Living Rent members sent a letter to Goodstone Living, the London-based developer that owns the £80 million development, which offers studio apartments starting from £1,495 per month.
The letter, signed by 73 residents and local neighbours, called for the cancellation of the rent hikes.
It was also backed by Ben MacPherson MSP and local ward councillor Katrina Faccenda.
Living Rent says no response has been received from the landlord’s executives, which prompted today’s protest action.
The dispute comes amid broader concerns regarding future rent control legislation in Scotland.
New laws expected to take effect in 2027 or 2028 currently exclude IMR, mid-market rent and build-to-rent homes.
Living Rent has warned this loophole leaves residents in designated affordable housing vulnerable to significant rent hikes.
Edinburgh Council’s Strategic Housing Investment Plan outlines a target to build 7,396 affordable homes, including those similar to the Dockside project, by 2031.
Francesca Ianigro Menichetti, a software engineer and Dockside tenant, said: “This rent increase is not only unfair but also frankly unjustifiable.
“Nobody should feel like they are being pushed out of their home but that is what is happening to us.”
Kyle Brown, a postman and Dockside tenant, said: “I feel upset and stressed that the fact our rent is going up so high, especially in the cost of living crisis at the moment.
“We are just a couple and will be struggling so I can imagine what the families that live here are like.
“It’s very scary and big corporations can’t keep coming into our city playing monopoly with our living situations.”
Sam Gower, a manufacturing biotechnologist and Dockside tenant, said: “I only moved in recently to Dockside, immediately I saw calls to help from my neighbours.
“The thought that I might be forced to look elsewhere to live next year because I can’t afford to live here due to a rent increase is frightening.
“I don’t want to live my life like I have a timer on how long I can stay in one place. We all just want to live in peace without the fear of finances hanging over our heads.”
Izzi Brannen, Living Rent Edinburgh Member Defence Organiser, said: “These rent increases are despicable and push tenants who are already struggling to make ends meet to the brink.
“Goodstone Living shows us how these corporate landlords will get away with everything they can, no matter the impact on local communities. Goodstone Living must cancel these rent increases immediately.
“By excluding intermediate-market, mid-market and build-to-rent homes from incoming rent controls, the Scottish Government has effectively enabled opportunistic behaviour like this under the guise of ‘affordable housing’.
“The Scottish Government must act urgently, both with an immediate rent freeze to protect all tenants until rent controls are in effect and by extending rent control legislation to include these tenancy types.”
Goodstone Living has been approached for comment.
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