Years of rent hikes in Renfrewshire have underlined the need for long-term rent controls, says Ross Greer MSP.

Rents for a newly-let two-bedroom flat in Renfrewshire and Inverclyde have soared by 34.9 per cent between 2010 and 2023, reaching £638, according to Scottish Government statistics.

This comes after the Scottish Greens published a new bill in March which will introduce new rights and protections for tenants, including rent controls and the right to decorate and keep pets.

Mr Greer, the Scottish Green MSP for Renfrewshire, is urging other MSPs to support the bill.

He said: “There are few things as important as our homes, but the rent hikes we’ve seen in Renfrewshire have put many households and families under huge pressure.

“That’s why the temporary rent cap and protections introduced by the Scottish Greens have been so crucial. They provided support and stability, with families in Renfrewshire having saved hundreds of pounds.

“Our bill here in Scotland will bring us in line with the rights and protections enjoyed by tenants across Europe.

"The huge increases in rents over recent years in Renfrewshire make clear how important this bill will be here.”

In 2022, Patrick Harvie, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens and the Minister for Tenants Rights, introduced an emergency law to cap rents and extend eviction protections during the cost of living crisis.

Many households and families in Renfrewshire have saved hundreds of pounds as a result.

The cap, however, was not able to cover the rents set when a new tenant moved in and those have continued to rise, in line with rises across the UK.

This protective measure ended on March 31.

Starting April 1, new short-term protections came into place, restricting in-tenancy rent increases.

With these temporary measures, landlords must notify tenants of any rent increases three months in advance.

Tenants have the option to contest these hikes through a tribunal.

The Scottish Green's bill would substitute this with a permanent national rent control system.

Additional measures, aimed at expanding tenant rights and mitigating eviction and exploitation by unethical landlords, are also included in this legislation to combat homelessness.