Feb

LATEST: Activists call landlords ‘parasites’ and picket TV presenter’s buy-to-let workshop

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Living Rent claims rent rises are ‘out of control’ in some parts of Scotland and that Martin Roberts’ event in Edinburgh is encouraging market speculation.

Scotland’s
tenants’ union has branded landlords “parasites” and is picketing an Edinburgh
event tomorrow aimed at helping them maximise profits.

At least 50 Living Rent supporters
are poised to join a demonstration outside the free workshop, described as a
free two-hour preview for Homes Under The
Hammer presenter Martin Roberts’ property investment course.

Although Roberts himself
won’t be at the event at the city’s Hilton hotel, aspiring landlords will be
given tips about
how to acquire finance, beat the
competition, and calculate their maximum price – complete with training videos
and e-books.

Rent controls

Living Rent is repeating
calls for the Scottish Government to introduce more effective rent control
measures, with a call to action on its Facebook
page: “Join us to say homes should be for people, not for profit – and demand
the government introduce proper, strong rent controls to stop property
parasites from driving tenants into poverty.”

So far, 52
people have promised to take part in the protest with more than 300 people
interested in the event.

The group says the costs of renting in Scotland’s capital
continue to rise at eye-watering levels, and that between 2010 and 2019, the
Lothians saw the average price rent for a two-bedroom property rise from £665 a
month to £972, a 46.3% increase.

Eleanor White, from Living Rent, says: “Scotland’s
housing market is deeply broken. People simply won’t forgive the government if
it continues to stand by and watch as people are driven further into poverty by
this kind of parasitic approach to housing.”Pauline
McNeill MSP’s Proposed Fair Rents (Scotland) Bill or ‘Mary Barbour Bill’ is currently hoping to win
approval in the Scottish Parliament; it aims to radically reform the sector by
linking rents to average wages and providing more information about rent
levels.