Landlords and Tenants are Agreed on the Need for Stronger Rental Data

SNP MSP Emma Roddick has pointed to the consensus between landlords and tenants, as well as organisations representing them, on the need for stronger data to guide decisions on housing policy, particularly in relation to rent prices.

Ms Roddick is seeking to bring forward amendments to the Scottish Government’s Housing Bill to strengthen data collection. She argues that basing policy decisions on current rental advertisements from sites like Zoopla is not an effective or fair approach for either tenants or landlords.

Commenting, Emma said:

“It’s clear that there is unusual consensus from both landlords and tenants on the need to make decisions based on factual data and reality, not just snapshots from advertised rents.

“If local authorities are going to seek to bring in rent control zones, they should have confidence in the evidence they are using to back this move up. Landlords should be able to see why such zones have been brought in, and how it relates to their own situation.

“We can’t keep being in the situation where folk are paying or charging rent that bears no resemblance to the closest Zoopla advert, but are equally affected by policy that’s brought in on that basis. It’s not too much to ask that there is accessible, standardised data available on what people are paying for something as essential as a home.

“I will continue my productive discussions with witnesses at the Housing Committee, and the Housing Minister, to explore how we can better collect the right data to inform future housing decisions.”