A group of Edinburgh students have spoken of their utter shock at the rent for their flat being put up by 36 per cent in the capital.
The sudden hike by their landlord has meant that they have been left with no choice other than to leave the properties as they can no longer afford the monumental rise.
Those caught up in the rental sector in Scotland’s two main cities, Edinburgh and Glasgow, are saying that they are struggling to keep up with the soaring rates amidst a cost of living crisis.
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This has led to a number of them, along with tenancy union Living Rent, to call on the Scottish Government to act and introduce rent caps to make life more affordable for tenants, the Daily Record reports.
Thea Tallack, 21, who rented a property in Newington with her three friends, says that their rent was increased by Braemore from £1,760 to £2,400.
This has meant that the tenants will be forced to stump up an extra £640 a month between them.
Thea, who is originally from Winchester, says that the move was made by Braemore in the midst of May exam season and says that this meant they had to search for a new property whilst also dealing with the stress of assessment.
She said: "It's an incredible amount, who can afford to pay a 36 per cent 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."
She added that the property had not had any noticeable maintenance or upgrades applied to it since they moved in during April of last year.
She continued: "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."
And the problem is not unique to the capital, with Matthew Peacock, 25, saying that he too was left with no choice but to leave his flat in Glasgow after a hefty increase in his rent.
Originally from Leeds, student Matthew moved out of his two-bed flat in Dennistoun Glasgow when his landlord upped the rent by 35 per cent in May.
He claims that the rise from £660 to £895 per month is “basically a soft eviction.”
On this, he said: "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."
Matthew added that he was baffled by the decision to increase his rent and echoes Thea’s claim that his landlords, Sandstone, had not carried out any upgrades as the flat was in a relatively poor state.
He continued: "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."
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 per cent and in Greater Glasgow by 41.4 per cent. In the same time period, inflation increased by 24.3 per cent.
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 per cent) of properties failing repair standards and nearly two-thirds (60 per cent) 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 per cent for social rent.”
The Daily Record approached Braemore and Sandstone letting agencies for comment.
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