No explicit pledge to spread rent controls further in...

The Scottish National Party, which as part of an alliance with the Greens introduced controversial rent controls in Scotland in 2022, has made no such pledge in its manifesto for next month’s General Election.

SNP leader John Swinney’s speech launching the manifesto did not mention ‘housing’ once and there are only fleeting references to the issue in the manifesto document itself.

The party pledges to reintroduce a simplified Help to Buy ISA scheme to help first time buyers, it says it will lobby for an annual uplift of Local Housing Allowancein line with localised rents, and it will campaign for devolved Housing Benefit and Local Housing Allowance powers.

Permanent rent controls are already on their way in Scotland through the controversial Housing (Scotland) Bill which will place a duty on local councils to carry out assessments of private accommodation in their area at least once every five years, possibly triggering rent controls.

Agents’ body Propertymark has responded both to that Bill and to the SNP manifesto.

Chief executive Nathan Emerson says: “Propertymark is keen to hear about ambitions to construct more social homes, which would diversify the provision of housing availability in Scotland. However, there must be an extreme focus on reversing Scotland’s current housing emergency, which was, in part, triggered by rent controls and tax hikes on the private rental sector.

"Propertymark would like to see firm detail within its plans to build additional homes and the implementation of policies that will encourage a greater pace of housebuilding and incentivise investment. There must be more stakeholder engagement to ensure long-running concerns are listened to and that future planning is representative of actual needs.”