In her speech outlining her government's annual programme at Holyrood, Nicola Sturgeon announced plans to freeze rents for public and private tenants and a ban on winter evictions in a package of measures "deliberately focused" on the cost-of-living crisis.
This emergency legislation applies to those who rent both privately and socially. Although specific details are currently light, the proposed policy is thought to freeze rents, meaning they cannot be raised by a landlord using a section 13 notice.
The measures fall short of the Rent Controls proposed by Scottish Labour earlier this year. Still, given that 38% of Scotland's households rent their home, the measures are a significant step to protect Scottish citizens from the cost-of-living crisis.
Mikey Erhardt from Disability Rights UK said:
"Nicola Sturgeon's plans will help to protect Disabled people across Scotland from the cost-of-living crisis.
We are waiting to see the new Prime Minister in England enact similar emergency measures which will protect Disabled people in England from the dangerous crisis currently unfolding.
Disabled renters are already paying too much to live in dangerous, inaccessible homes. The government must do more to shift the power imbalance away from landlords and toward Disabled tenants."