By Lucy Ashton
The SNP-Green rent freeze has resulted in a “staggering” £700 million worth of housing development in Scotland being paused or lost entirely, new analysis has revealed.
Research from the Scottish Property Federation shows that evidence from their members highlighted that since the emergency legislation was introduced, it has resulted in projects being put on hold or lost altogether to Scotland’s private rented sector.
Their research says this could mean 4,000 modern and energy efficient homes may now not appear in the rented sector.
Shadow housing secretary Miles Briggs says this proves that the rent freeze, introduced by the SNP-Green coalition in October, with support from Labour has had “deeply damaging consequences” for Scotland’s housing market.
Conservative Miles Briggs and Green/SNP Patrick Harvie, who brought in the rent freeze.
On Thursday Patrick Harvie confirmed that the freeze would be replaced by a cap in the private rented sector, with landlords able to increase rents by three per cent from April 1.
However, Scottish Land and Estates have described that figure as “being plucked out of thin air.”
Lord Haughey put on hold plans to build 11,000 affordable homes as part of a £1 billion plan, saying Patrick Harvie’s decision to impose a rent freeze was a “big part of his decision to halt the project.”
Miles Briggs says the rent freeze has meant SNP-Green ministers have taken Scotland ‘backwards’ when it comes to addressing the lack of homes for prospective tenants and that the policy was “ill-conceived” from the start.
He added that much more needs to be done to address Scotland’s housing crisis than ministers chasing “easy headlines” through the introduction of their rent freeze.
Miles Briggs MSP, said: “These figures are absolutely staggering. Scotland is in the grip of a housing crisis under the SNP-Green government, but their ill-conceived rent freeze plans have resulted in £700 million worth of housing development being paused or abandoned altogether in just a few short months.
“The analysis from the Scottish Property Federation proves how the SNP-Green government’s emergency legislation- supported by Labour- has had deeply damaging consequences for Scotland’s housing market.
“We already know Lord Haughey put the brakes on a project that would have delivered 11,000 affordable homes, citing Patrick Harvie’s rent freeze as a major factor in making that decision.
“Now we see the extraordinary impact that the rent freeze has had more widely. Prospective tenants chances of moving into affordable, good quality rented homes are being let down by ministers who were chasing easy headlines.
“The SNP have failed miserably to meet crucial housebuilding targets in recent years and their focus should have been on addressing the real and long-term issues affecting tenants, rather than introducing this counterproductive policy.
“They rail-roaded it through Parliament with little to no thought of how this could put crucial housing developments on hold.”
Is there nothing that this SNP – Green government can do right.
Everywhere you look their delivery is falling apart save their absolute focus on gender issues.
But reverting to the collapse of social House building projects folks will be glad to know that the SNP have dealt a killer blow to private leases due to their levying 6% tax on second properties.
I’m no great lover of private rents but in the absence of a) folks being able to buy and b) there being sufficient social housing, private renting is essential.
Ah well, all focus on gender though as Rome burns.