Rent Service Scotland rent increase applications: FOI release

Information requested

1. The number of applications to increase rent on a property which Rent Service Scotland received (a) between 6 September 2022 and 31 March 2023, and (b) since 1 April 2023.
2. The number of such applications which were approved (a) between 6 September 2022 and 31 March 2023, and (b) since 1 April 2023.
3. Of the applications which were granted, the average increase in rent which was allowed.

Response

1. See information table below.
2. As of 29 May 2023, RSS have received the following applications:

Timeframe	Landlord 3% Prescribed Property Costs application	Landlord 6% Prescribed Property Costs application	Tenant rent cap verification request application	Fair Rent Regulated tenancies (pre 1989)	Rent Adjudication for Private Residential Tenancy
6th September 2022 to 27th October 2022	N/A	N/A	N/A	46 applications received and 46 approved*	7 applications received and 7 approved*
28 October 2022 to 31 March 2023	47 applications received and 38 approved	N/A	N/A	124 application received and 124 approved
1 April 2023 to 29 May 2023	N/A	603 applications received and 446 approved	16 applications received and 16 approved	46 applications received and 46 approved*

3 . 38 applications were approved on the 3% Landlord Prescribed Costs granting an average increase of 3%; 446 were approved on the 6% Landlord Prescribed Costs granting an average increase of 6%; 16 were approved on the tenant verification granting an average increase of 3%; 216 were approved on Fair Rent regulated tenancies* granting an average of 10% and 7 were approved on rent adjudications for Private Residential Tenancies* granting an average of 19%.

*The Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022 does not apply to regulated tenancies under the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984, as these tenancies already have strong protections in place, and rents for these tenancies can only increase once every three years.
*Seven Rent Adjudication applications for Private Residential Tenancies were received between 6th September and 27th October (prior to the Act coming into force) where a valid rent increase notice was issued prior to 6th September 2022.

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