New Rights
New Responsibilities
New House Rules for the 760,000 private renters in Scotland
Shelter Scotland has been campaigning for change around Private Renting in Scotland for a very long time. In our most recent Private Renting campaign in 2015 (Make Renting Right) we called for a modern tenancy that was more fit for purpose. We asked for stability for people wanting to make rented housing their home, flexibility for people to stay as long as they need, a modern tenancy offering security and flexibility for both tenants and landlords, a fair system for sorting out renting problems when they occur and predictable rents for both tenants and landlords.
Our efforts, and the continued backing of our campaign supporters, has successfully led the way for today’s important new legislation being introduced to the Scottish housing system – the Private Residential Tenancy.
Improvements for tenants include:
- More security with an open-ended tenancy – your landlord can’t just ask you to leave because you’ve been in the property for a set length of time
- Protection from frequent rent increases and three months’ notice of it happening
- Longer notice periods (unless it’s because you’ve done something wrong)
- Rent and repair issues can now be heard and resolved by the First-tier Tribunal
- Local authorities can apply to Scottish Ministers to cap the levels of rent increases in areas where rents are rising too much
Today marks the culmination of 10 years of our work to transform renting in Scotland, but it also heralds a fairer tenancy for Scotland’s 760,000 private renters. We are incredibly proud that we helped make this a reality, and we are also incredibly pleased to be partnering with Scottish Government to help make tenants aware of these changes.
Visit shelterscotland.org/newhouserules to find out about the changes under the new Private Residential Tenancy. Also speak to Ailsa on this page, our new chatbot who can help you navigate your way around the new rules:
If you are a Housing Professional or Housing Support Practitioner there are also new learning resources for you, to support your understanding of the new tenancy and the Private Rented Sector. More information on these free learning resources is available from Shelter Scotland’s Store.
Keep an eye out for the new campaign over the coming months and come and tell us why you welcome the new changes on our Facebook page. Don’t forget to share the message, tag Shelter Scotland and use the hashtag #NewHouseRules to find, follow and join the conversation on Scotland’s new rules for renters.