Tenants in Scotland have been forced to move out of their homes after they were hit by soaring rent increases of up to 36%.
Those renting private property in Glasgow and Edinburgh have told how they have had 'no choice' but to pack up and leave as they cannot keep up with the rocketing rates.
It comes as thousands of Scots across the country continue to feel the squeeze of the current cost of living crisis.
Now furious residents are calling on the Scottish Government for an urgent rent cap as they fear the prices will only hike again in their new homes.
Matthew Peacock, originally from Leeds, was forced to move from his two-bed flat in Dennistoun, Glasgow, on Tuesday after his landlord raised his digs from £660 to £895 per month back in May - a whopping increase of 35%.
The 25-year-old told the Record: "I'm in the process of moving out because I have no other choice.
"The flat is unaffordable for us now and there are no controls to stop it - there never have been any controls.
"It's basically a soft eviction, there is no way I can find an extra £235 a month. I don't know anybody that can right now with food and bill costs.
"I have enjoyed living here and I didn't want to move. It isn't just happening to me, it is happening to so many other people. Our community is being dismantled."
The student believes that there is no justifiable reason for his landlord to increase the fees. He says letting agents Sandstone haven’t conducted upgrades with the flat left in a generally poor condition.
Matthew added: "It's unaffordable for what it is. It just isn't worth staying here for the price anymore.
"There has been no real maintenance to it since we moved in. The kitchen and bathroom obviously haven't been done up in years and the painting on the walls isn't even finished - you can see the plaster underneath it.
"We still don't really understand why the rent is going up, it's pure greed.
"I feel like I've got no control over my direction. I'm angry and hopeless because I need to move now and I'm wondering if I will ever be able to settle without the threat of my rent rocketing again.
"I'm a bit lost. It has made me really think that rent controls are the only solution."
Thea Tallack, who lives in Edinburgh with her three flatmates, was studying for university exams in May when she learned the collective rent would be rocketing by £640 per month.
The 21-year-old, originally from Winchester, told how she was left in anguish after learning letting agents Braemore were increasing the payments from £1760 to £2400 for a four-bed property in Newington.
While juggling their study commitments, the four flatmates were forced to start looking for somewhere else to live.
She said: "It's an incredible amount, who can afford to pay a 36% increase on their rent? As students, we just couldn't meet that demand. With inflation and increasing rent prices, we weren't left with many options. We had to move out.
"Our bills doubled at the time and that was already stressful to think about.
"We've had no security - looking for new flats in itself has been so tricky, tiring and time-consuming. On top of that, though, we're worried in case the rent in our new flats increases.
"The insecurity and uncertainty of what is going to happen has been really tough to deal with."
And, like Matthew, Thea claims her rented flat had received no real maintenance or upgrades since she moved in, in April 2021.
She added: "It was a nice flat but there were a lot of issues that needed dealing with.
"They know we have no other option and that they can do it and get away with it, so they put the rents up."
Living Rent has demanded the Scottish Government introduce emergency protections for tenants in Scotland - saying the measure is needed more than ever before amid the cost of living crisis.
Data from the Scottish Government published in November revealed that between 2011 and 2021, rents increased in the Lothians by 41.7% and in Greater Glasgow by 41.4%. In the same time period, inflation increased by 24.3%.
Megan Bishop, Secretary of Living Rent says that: “Landlords are increasing our rents during a cost of living crisis and despite our wages falling in real terms. Landlords being able to act with impunity and without a second thought to their actions plunging thousands of tenants into poverty needs to stop.
"Our housing remains unaffordable and increasingly unliveable. With over half (57%) of properties failing repair standards and nearly two-thirds (60%) having an energy efficiency rating of D or lower, it is time that the Scottish Government regulated landlords and put tenants’ need for a home first.
"Though the Scottish Government has committed to introducing rent controls by 2025, this is too far away when landlords are raising rents now. We need emergency measures to protect tenants until rent controls are brought in to bring rents down.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We fully recognise the impact of the cost of living crisis on tenants and are working at pace to help people who need it, with £83 million in housing support available this year.
“However, the ‘quick-fix’ rent freeze proposed through this amendment is unworkable and would have a high risk of being struck down by the courts.
"Bringing in an effective law to tackle rising rents means gathering detailed evidence and assembling views, rather than bringing in an amendment that hasn’t been consulted on and with little time for scrutiny.
"We are already taking forward priority work to introduce rent controls during this Parliament, but are doing so in a robust way that will give long-lasting benefits to tenants.
“We are also working to increase choices for people who rent. Since 2007, we have delivered 111,750 affordable homes, with more than 78,000 for social rent. In the four years to 2021 we delivered over nine times more social rented homes per head of population than England, and our per-capita spending on affordable housing is over three times higher than the UK Government’s.
"We have now started to deliver against our commitment to a further 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, with at least 70% for social rent.”
The Daily Record approached Braemore and Sandstone letting agencies for comment.
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