Shelter Scotland welcomes changed tenancy agreement as “new dawn for all private renters”

Kevin Stewart - image credit: Scottish Government

The Scottish Government has today introduced new tenancy agreements with no end date, which can only be terminated by a tenant giving written notice to their landlord or by the landlord using certain pre-approved grounds for eviction.

Under the new Private Residential Tenancy, landlords will only be able to increase rent once a year, and only after providing tenants with three months’ written notice in advance.

Shelter Scotland director Graeme Brown described the change as a “new dawn for all private renters” which will bring “unprecedented security of tenure to private renters”.

Ministers said the change will also make the repossession process more accessible.

But existing tenancies will not automatically transfer over, with the tenant or landlord required to bring it to an end by serving notice.

Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “The private rental sector has grown substantially in recent years and now provides a place to call home for 760,000 people.

“This is the biggest change to the sector for a generation and will bring about significant improvements in private renting, benefiting both tenants and landlords.

“We want to ensure everyone has a safe and warm place to call home. The new tenancy sits alongside our wider ambitions for housing in Scotland- not least our ambitious commitment to deliver at least 50,000 affordable homes during this Parliament, including that for rent.”

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: “We have campaigned passionately for 10 years now for reform of private renting, ending with our Make Renting Right campaign, which had extensive support from the public and local and national politicians. We are delighted that all those voices were listened to and we support today’s changes in the law.

“Shelter Scotland is pleased to be working with the Scottish Government on a major awareness raising campaign to ensure everyone involved in private renting- from tenants and landlords to letting agents and housing professionals- understand their new rights and responsibilities.”