The pandemic has highlighted the importance of home, and the need for homes and the spaces around them to support people to live well. That is why we are committed to expanding our social and affordable housing stock.
The SNP Scottish Government took action to support renters during the pandemic. The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (Restrictions and Requirements) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2021 means the current ban on the enforcement of eviction orders in Scotland has now been extended to 30 September 2021.
A re-elected SNP Scottish Government will deliver a further 100,000 affordable homes by 2032 with at least 70% of these for social rent.
We will develop a new Rented Sector Strategy in 2021. This will provide greater protections from unreasonable rent increases and give people affordable choices when renting, and increasing protections for tenants.
Furthermore, we will reform existing Rent Pressure Zone legislation to ensure local authorities can use it to directly address unreasonably high rents in localised areas. These changes will be incorporated in a new Housing Bill early in the next Parliament.
Fiona Hyslop