THE Scottish Greens have urged MSPs from all parties to back plans for immediate rent control measures to protect tenants from brutal increases.

The proposals, to be tabled as an amendment to the forthcoming Housing Bill, would provide urgent support for renters before the wider measures in the legislation take effect, the party said today.

In 2022, then Green minister Patrick Harvie introduced a temporary cap on most in-tenancy rent rises. 

After the cap came to an end in March 2024, a temporary adjudication system allowed tenants to appeal against increases, with rent officers able to limit them to no higher than 12 per cent.

The SNP removed these protections in April this year.

Since then, the Greens and tenant campaign group Living Rent say they have documented cases of landlords imposing massive rent rises, with some exceeding 30 per cent and even reaching as high as 88 per cent.

Green MSP Maggie Chapman, who will table the amendments, said: “The Housing Bill will provide some badly needed protections and rent controls when it comes into force, but there are a lot of people who can’t afford to wait. 

“We will be introducing amendments to restore protections immediately and halt the astronomical hikes that are being forced on people and families all over Scotland.”

Ms Chapman described the rental market as “broken,” saying that it “already leaves far too many renters in insecure housing, which can cost them over half their pay cheque.”

She added: “We need to end the exploitation and curb the powers of the landlord lobby, who are only too happy to profit from so much misery.”