The Housing Bill 2025: What Scottish Landlords Need to Know

Written by: Mike FitzgeraldOctober 3, 2025

What is the New Housing Bill?

Scotland’s Housing (Scotland) Bill 2025 represents one of the most significant changes to private renting policy in recent years. Framed as part of the Scottish Government’s New Deal for Tenants and Housing to 2040 strategies, the Bill is intended to influence how rents, tenant protections, property standards, and homelessness prevention are managed.

The Scottish Parliament approved the Bill on 30th September 2025.

In this article, Stand Property outlines the main measures included in the Bill and highlights areas worth watching as the Bill’s provisions are passed into law and separate Regulations to implement parts of the Bill are put in place.

The Purpose of the Bill

The Bill is designed to:

Improve housing affordability and security for tenants.
Prevent homelessness through earlier intervention.
Strengthen tenant rights and regulate the private rented sector.
Support the Scottish Government’s broader housing strategies to 2040.

Key Provisions of the Housing Bill 2025 (Scotland)

1. Rent Control

Rent Control Areas: Ministers can designate specific areas where rents may be regulated due to affordability pressures.
Rent Cap: Rent increases are generally limited to Consumer Price Index (CPI) + 1%, up to a maximum of 6% per year.
Exemptions: Mid-Market Rent (MMR) properties, Build-to-Rent (BtR) developments, and student accommodation may be exempt to encourage investment in housing.

2. Tenant Rights

Pets and Personalisation: Tenants may have greater ability to keep pets and make reasonable changes to their homes.
Eviction Protections: Courts may consider hardship, seasonal factors, and other circumstances before approving evictions.
Unlawful Eviction Damages: Proposed minimum damages for unlawful eviction are 3 times the monthly rent, up to 36 times.Temporary rent freezes from the pandemic era have ended, but the Bill provides a framework for ongoing rent regulation.

3. Homelessness Prevention

‘Ask and Act’ Duty: Public bodies—including councils, police, and health services—would be required to ask about housing situations and take steps to prevent homelessness.
Early Intervention: Councils could provide support up to six months before homelessness is imminent, compared with the current two months.
Domestic Abuse Protections: Social landlords may need policies to support tenants at risk of homelessness due to domestic abuse.

4. Property Standards

Awaab’s Law: Landlords would need to address health hazards like damp and mould promptly, with implementation expected from March 2026.
Tolerable Standards Update: Damp and mould could be formally added to housing quality benchmarks.

5. Tenancy Management

Joint Tenancies: New rules for ending joint tenancies, including pre-notice requirements.
Student Tenancies: Greater flexibility for students to end tenancies under certain conditions.
Deposit Use: Unclaimed deposits may be redirected to support homelessness prevention.

6. Regulatory Power

Letting Agent Oversight: Stronger powers for registration and inspection.
Property Factor Regulation: New compliance and inspection powers.
Housing Emergency Powers: Ministers could declare housing emergencies and take targeted action.

Implementation Timeline

It is expected that key measures (including Awaab’s Law), will begin implementation from March 2026, with other provisions phased in over time. We will confirm as timelines become firmer.

Conclusion

The Housing (Scotland) Bill 2025 has the potential to influence Scotland’s rental sector, but the final impact will depend on how the legislation is enacted, regulated, and enforced. Landlords will benefit from staying informed and considering how proposed changes could affect their circumstances.

Get in Touch

At Stand Property, we’re always here to provide clear guidance and support for Scottish landlords. If you have any questions about Residential Lettings in Scotland or would like to discuss any of the points mentioned in this article, our experienced team would be delighted to assist. You can contact us by email at info@standproperty.co.uk or by phone on 01334 477011 (St Andrews) and 0131 6656677 (Edinburgh).