Timothy Douglas, Policy and Campaigns Manager at Propertymark, stated that the Scottish government should recognize that the introduction of rent caps under the Cost of Living Act has damaged the private rented sector in Scotland, leading to reduced demand for renting, tenants staying put, and rent increases.

He also pointed out that the Scottish government needs to urgently review all taxes and costs affecting private landlords and agencies, and introduce policies that will not stifle growth and reduce renting costs to address the housing emergency.

In addition, Scotland currently has 15,000 people homeless or staying in temporary accommodation, with the number of rough sleepers continuously increasing to a historic high. These figures indicate that Scotland's housing issue has reached an emergency level, requiring proactive measures from the government and relevant authorities to resolve.

According to the Scottish National Party's social housing plan, the number of homes built this year has decreased by 26% compared to 2022-23. This implies that the Scottish government needs to take more proactive measures in increasing housing supply.

Apart from abolishing rent caps and increasing housing supply, the Scottish government also needs to review all taxes and costs affecting private landlords and agencies to attract more investors to participate in the private rental market, providing tenants with more choices and competitive prices.

At the same time, the government needs to implement appropriate policies to encourage and support social housing projects to meet the housing needs of low-income families and those requiring special care.