Emma Roddick MSP stands in the centre of Nairn, a Highland town, highlighting the everyday realities of local communities. The street is wet from recent rain, and the scene is calm and empty, reflecting the quiet urgency of the housing crisis.
Contributing to yesterday’s Stage 1 Debate on the Housing (Scotland) Bill, MSP for the Highlands and Islands Emma Roddick championed the progress already made on the bill by the Scottish Government, and renewed her commitment to strengthening its measures, such as rent controls.
Calling the data on those in rent-induced poverty ‘terrifying’, she highlighted that private renters in Scotland on the lowest income spend almost 50% of their income on rent alone.
Speaking in the debate, Emma said:
“I have already met with the Minister for Housing to discuss potential changes at Stage 2 to strengthen the bill, and in particular I hope that he will consider amendments that seek to rebalance the power dynamic between private landlords and their tenants.
“Frequently, both sides of the argument say that we don’t have the evidence, or the data, or the knowledge required to justify action or inaction.
“That is within our control. We can require information to be provided, rather than ask local authorities to ask landlords to have a think about sending it in. It is not a tall order to want to know what somebody is charging for something as fundamental as a home.”
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