Scotland Approves Rent Caps and Second-Home Premiums

The Housing (Scotland) Bill was backed by MSPs and includes a framework for long-term rent controls that would let councils designate rent-control areas and limit increases to one percentage point above CPI, capped at 6%. The legislation also strengthens public authorities' duties to prevent homelessness and aims to support victims of domestic abuse, though exemptions for mid-market rent, build-to-let homes and student accommodation have drawn criticism from housing campaigners. A Green amendment removing the 100% cap on council-tax premiums for second homes was approved 75–31, allowing councils to impose higher — effectively unlimited — uplifts on second-home owners; SNP ministers said this would protect communities while Conservatives called it reckless. Local leaders in areas such as Gateshead have called for rent caps to protect tenants from rogue landlords amid rising poverty and housing insecurity, reflecting broader UK concerns about affordability and tenant protections in the private rental sector.