Private Rented Sector Stakeholder Engagement Group minutes: July 2025

Attendees and apologies

• Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Mairi McAllan MSP
• Aoife Deery (CAS)
• Cameron Gillies (SLE)
• David Melhuish (SPF)
• Emma Saunders (Living Rent)
• John Blackwood (SAL)
• Ronnell Reffell (UK Finance)
• Timothy Douglas (Propertymark)

Items and actions

Welcome

The Chair opened the meeting and thanked everyone for attending at short notice. The chair advised previous minutes have now been published on the SG (‘Scottish Government’) website. SG noted that the Cabinet Secretary for Housing (‘CSH’) is joining the meeting and everyone will have a chance to speak.

CSH thanked everyone for joining and for this opportunity to meet and hear everyone’s thoughts on the Housing (Scotland) Bill as it progresses to Stage 3. The CSH also advised she was pleased to be in this role, would like to work in a focussed way and is open to hearing ideas.

Living Rent 

Living Rent noted concerns around data collection and noted that it would be shame for rent control to be unworkable due to no data. Living Rent are supportive of use of the Landlord Register for data collection but are aware there may be concerns from Ministers around using it in this way. There are also concerns around exemptions and concerns around what is set out in the consultation. For example, if the quality is improved, the rent can be higher than the rent cap. With the rent cap being set at CPI (‘Consumer Prices Index’) + 1% this still allows landlords to make a profit.

CSH welcomed these comments and is aware of the importance of data and GDPR (‘General Data Protection Regulation’) issues which need to be taken into account. CSH agreed standards are very important and Awaab’s Law is now included in the Bill.

UK Finance

UK Finance agreed with Living Rent’s concerns around data and agreed with Awaab’s Law being included in the Bill. Supply is a key concern with it being difficult to balance affordability & investment. UK Finance support exemptions but believe these should apply across the board and not just to Mid-Market Rent (‘MMR’) and Build to Rent (‘BtR’). Their members include mortgage lenders to BtR, with some looking to invest in Scotland.

CSH took all points on board and reiterated that data is fundamental to rent control. Supply, through the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, and development are the cornerstone to providing more homes. CSH noted that the Housing Investment Taskforce (‘HIT’) report determined that BtR should be included as an exemption.

Scottish Land & Estates (SLE)

SLE advised that data from a rural angle brings further issues around data. Housing in rural areas underpins all local activity including schools and businesses. Rural Private Rented Sector (‘PRS’) properties are older and more difficult to maintain. Progress has been made and the Rural and Islands Housing Funds is a positive step. The Land Reform Bill will also affect rural properties. 

CSH confirmed a personal understanding of rural issues. As data was mentioned again, CSH asked all members to let her know if they had any ideas to make these known.

Living Rent asked to hear more detail on the commitment made by the Cabinet Secretary of Social Justice at stage 2 around meeting MSPs on data.

CSH confirmed that she is working over the summer on the previous commitments made. Last week there was a roundtable discussion on purpose built student accommodation (‘PBSA’) and there could be further roundtable or meetings with individuals.

SG confirmed there will be meetings with MSPs on the detail of the data collection powers in the Bill over the coming months, and this will be replicated with similar discussions with this group.

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS)

CAS confirmed they want and need the Bill to pass. Previous data has been shared with officials. CAS have responded to the minimum standards and the heat in buildings consultations. CAS asked if there were any timelines on commencement.

CSH advised Ask & Act needs the most the most thought and could be transformative to prevent homelessness.

SG confirmed that Royal Assent is likely to take around 2 months and regulations will be laid 2 months after that. However, this all depends on when stage 3 completes. There will be a broad spectrum of measure being introduced at different times.

CSH is looking for many regulations to be brought forward before the pre-election period next year.

Scottish Property Federation (SPF)

SPF advised that they shared the concerns around data and noted concerns that the landlord register not working as well as it should. SPF acknowledged that confidence needs to be restored in the sector as the number of new applications for BtR in Scotland at stage 2 is lower than the rest of the UK. These comments are included within the consultation response which is being sent later this week. SPF noted that investment is key to restoring confidence and the rent cap goes some way to provide certainty. Also noted that it is important to recognise that there are good landlords who do not increase rents while they have a sitting tenant and wait until the property is vacant before increasing the rent.

CSH appreciated that there are good landlords and this bill looks to strike a balance. CSH asked for further information regarding the concerns of the landlord register.

SPF confirmed this is not robust in some areas and there are inconsistencies.

CSH advised the landlord register could be enhanced. CSH advised she was working with the Deputy First Minister and Scottish National Investment Bank on actions that need to carried out following the Housing Investment Taskforce report.

Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL)

SAL confirmed they would like to see a PRS that works for everyone with a balance that support landlords and safeguards tenants. There is a concern of in between tenancies as a large number of landlords do not increase the rent while they have a tenant. Landlords are now advising that they do not want to increase rents on sitting tenants but they have to. A survey carried out by SAL showed that 15% of landlords said their rent was 20% below market rent. When the property is vacant, this is a chance for landlords to set the rent at market value.

SAL advised an unintended consequence of rent control will be a lack of investment. In the PRS this investment comes from rent. SAL supports better standards and energy efficiency, but there are concerns on timings around this. Since 2019, SAL have been unable to advise landlords who want to improve the energy efficiency as there are no details. Overall the issues are on timing, not the principle.

A number of SAL members are not comfortable with exemptions such PBSA as this could create a 2 tier system. SAL recognised the challenge with getting the balance on investment correct.

SAL also noted that the landlord register is critical to how rent control will operate. It is known that there are bad landlord but no action is taken. SAL noted that the smaller/rural local authorities are better at communicating with landlords than larger local authorities.

CSH thanked SAL for comments and agreed with the balance of supporting landlords and safeguarding tenants. Heat in Buildings work will be discussed concurrently as this progresses.

PropertyMark

PropertyMark appreciated the level of engagement they has been involved in throughout the Housing (Scotland) bill process. PropertyMark advised it felt logical to use the landlord register for data or a new public body or Rent Service Scotland (‘RSS’). Tim also noted that landlord registration is every three years but rent control assessments will be every 5 years. On energy efficiency, it was noted targets need to be reachable. Members are not supportive of rent control and believe this is not the only option for affordability. Cost of Living Act increased rents to their highest level. Understanding of why landlords increase rents is required. Tax and costs to landlord also need to be understood. In addition there have been two increases to the additional dwelling supplement making Scotland the most expensive place in the UK to buy to let. The amendments regarding student accommodation was about levelling the playing field.

CSH thanked PropertyMark for recognising work carried out by officials. Regarding PBSA, very different services are included and is now settled not to be included. Energy efficiency will be picked up separately as work moves forward.

CSH thanked everyone for their time and closed the meeting.