HOLYROOD’S rejection of amendments to housing legislation aimed at improving security of tenure for renters has been slammed as a “major backwards step” for private tenants by campaigners today.

The Housing (Scotland) Bill has already come under fire from tenants’ union Living Rent for watering down rent control proposals by allowing increases of 1 per cent over inflation and excluding build-to-rent, mid-market, and purpose built student accommodation.

But criticism is now mounting after the rejection of amendments tabled by Green MSP Maggie Chapman on Wednesday.

Ms Chapman’s proposals would have increased eviction notice periods for evictions where a landlord wants to sell the property or move in, to four months, and offer a protected period from this type of eviction for 12 months following the start of a tenancy in line with in line with Renters’ Right Bill currently making its way through the UK Parliament.

She told MSPs: “Let us be clear that, if those amendments are not supported today, renters in Scotland will be less strongly protected than those south of the border.”

Her proposals were however voted down by a coalition of Tory, Lib Dem and SNP MSPs, who, with the exception of the SNP’s Emma Roddick, lined up behind Housing Secretary Mairi McAllan, who claimed: “Further work is required to understand the implications of increased notice periods before changes are made”

Generation Rent’s Ben Twomey commented: “Homes are the foundations of our lives. 

“But allowing landlords to turf tenants out of their homes with very little notice shatters those foundations. The impact ripples across society, pushing people into homelessness and placing strain on public services. 

“Today represented a major backward step for renters who will soon be looking enviously across the border if the government doesn’t change course.”