Private rented sector - rent increase frequency: equality impact assessment

Executive summary

Scottish Ministers have committed to further reform of the rented sectors as part of delivering their vision and commitments for housing as set out in Housing to 2040^[1], and consulted on as part of our New Deal for Tenants: Draft Rented Sector Strategy^[2]. The 2023/24 Programme for Government^[3] commits to a Housing Bill that will help to deliver the legislative changes required. The reforms were also developed as part of the Cooperation Agreement between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Green Party Parliamentary Group, which was ended on 25 April 2024. The improvements proposed will aid in establishing a fair and well-regulated rental sector which balances the needs of tenants and responsible landlords.

This document sets out the results of the equality impact assessment on the proposals to prevent rent increases taking place in the first twelve months of a private residential tenancy (PRT) not in a rent control area. The analysis is presented below in the Key Findings section. The findings are based on stakeholder engagement and feedback, desk-based research and analysis of the responses to the New Deal for Tenants: Draft Rented Sector Strategy.

This is one of a number of equality impact assessments carried out on the policy changes included in the Housing (Scotland) Bill. EQIA is an ongoing process, and therefore will be ongoing as new evidence comes to light. We will continue to engage with our stakeholders and will regularly review the EQIA record and results following the data review and subsequent analyses.