Call to freeze rents in 2021 to ease lockdown pressures on tenants
A call has been made to consider freezing rents for tenants this year because of the pandemic.
It was made by Mark Ruskell, Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife.
His appeal went to Fife Council and registered social landlords and urged them to consider the move.
Housing association management committees in places including Dundee, Glasgow and Argyll and Bute have recently announced rent freezes for the coming financial year, recognising the strain of the coronavirus pandemic.
Mr Ruskell said: “The pandemic has placed enormous strain on individuals and social landlords should explore every option to ease the burden on their tenants.
“Housing associations across the country have recognised this and already committed to freezing rents in the coming year.
“That being said, Scottish Government’s support for renters, in both the private and social sector, hasn’t been good enough throughout this crisis and as it continues they still need to step up and support people who find themselves struggling to pay the rent”