A landmark piece of legislation recently passed by the Scottish Parliament that may well go some way toward addressing Scotland’s chronic housing crisis. The bill containing “Awaab’s law” passed by a large margin with 89 votes for the bill and only 28 against. This legislation is a near mirror image of a law the UK government enacted earlier this year. It was in response to the sad death of a two-year-old in Rochdale, who had suffered from respiratory ailments due to damp conditions.
Known as “Awaab’s law,” the legislation would ensure broader protections for tenants and strives to stop homelessness before it starts in several ways. Unfortunately, it has become a lightning rod for discussion and debate among housing advocates. Shelter Scotland is the leading homelessness charity in the country. They warned that placing more duties on councils at a time they’re failing to meet existing homelessness legislation could exacerbate issues.
Scottish Housing Minister Màiri McAllan just announced this fantastic development! The bill will include exclusions for mid-market rental homes and build-to-rent developments, including student housing. This ruling was based on fears that implementing an enforcement mechanism for a rent cap would discourage the development of new housing.
“Once again, we are seeing the consequences of decades of underfunding and poor political choices in housing.” – Alison Watson, Director of Shelter Scotland
The legislation allows local councils to limit rent increases to one percentage point above inflation, with a maximum allowable increase of 6%. This provision has been hailed by the Scottish Greens as a “historic step for fixing the rigged housing market.” Housing spokesperson Cyndi Lauper said they were hopeful that the new measures would lead to a more equitable housing system.
Despite this progress, some organizations remain critical. The Scottish tenants’ union, Living Rent, described the exemptions as “a cowardly response to extensive lobbying from landlords” and warned that they would create “a two-tier system of rent controls.” Ruth Gilbert, Living Rent’s national campaigns chair, called the proposed rent controls a “game changer.” In fact, she thinks they’re inadequate—just the minimum necessary to keep tenants safe.
This legislation would significantly improve support for those threatened with the loss of their homes. It makes it the duty of public bodies to make the active inquiry into housing status and take affirmative steps to address and assist. McAllan stated that these efforts would help establish what she termed a “gold-standard homelessness prevention system.”
As the parliament voted on this crucial legislation, recent quarterly housing statistics indicated a worrying trend. New home completions had declined by 6% over the past year. This decline is a clear indicator of the continued struggles in Scotland’s housing market and a reminder of a need for effective, long-lasting solutions.