Nicola Sturgeon urged to back 'emergency rent freeze' to help struggling Scots

Nicola Sturgeon has been known as on to introduce an "quick emergency lease freeze" to assist tenants throughout Scotland who're struggling to make ends meet.

Mercedes Villalba has written to the First Minister to induce the Scottish Authorities to make use of its present powers to guard Scots who lease their houses.

SNP and Inexperienced ministers are already consulting on laws which is able to introduce a type of lease controls earlier than the tip of the parliamentary time period.

However the Scottish Labour MSP stated tenants "can't afford to attend for 3 or extra years".

Villalba raised the difficulty of an "quick emergency lease freeze" with Sturgeon at Holyrood final month and is now urgent for motion.

"The Scottish Authorities does have powers which might be used to deal with one of many largest issues confronted by individuals proper now - rising lease prices," she stated in a letter to the SNP chief.

"Whereas I welcome your authorities's dedication to introducing lease controls, tenants can't afford to attend three or extra years for motion.

"The problems going through tenants have been compounded for the reason that begin of the pandemic as incomes have decreased - pushing many into lease arrears - all of the whereas the price of dwelling continues to rise.

"In recognition of this, some housing associations and councils have frozen rents, displaying it may be executed."

"A Scottish Authorities spokesman stated: "We all know that many tenants are struggling financially.

"That is why we've got offered £82m in housing help this yr and why our New Deal for Tenants session proposes a complete vary of reforms – from higher safety in opposition to eviction to extra rights to personalise tenants’ houses and better high quality requirements.

"It additionally units out our clear dedication to introduce new lease controls within the present Parliamentary session, greater than any authorities inside the UK has executed for greater than three a long time."

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