Private Renting in England vs Scotland: What the latest research tells us

As England prepares for the implementation of the Renters’ Rights Act, it does so in the shadow of Scotland’s earlier reforms. Since 2017, Scotland has introduced open-ended tenancies and abolished no-fault evictions – offering a valuable case study in how housing policy changes play out in practice.

Against this backdrop, TDS’ sister charity, SafeDeposits Scotland Charitable Trust, has released its latest Voice of the Tenant and Voice of the Landlord surveys. Here, we compare these findings with our equivalent research from England across four key themes: affordability, supply and demand, knowledge of the law, and energy efficiency.

Setting the scene

The private rented sector is bigger in England, housing nearly 20% of households versus 13% in Scotland, while Scotland has a larger social housing sector (24% vs 16%). Average rents in England are roughly 40% higher – though London skews that figure considerably.

Landlords in Scotland tend to be older – 35% are aged 65 or over, compared to 28% in England – raising questions about what happens to supply as that generation retires. Landlord satisfaction diverges sharply: 56% of landlords in England say they're satisfied, compared to just 34% in Scotland, where regulatory and tax changes are the primary source of frustration.

Affordability: Pressure on both sides of the border

Rent increases have been more widespread in England, with 57% of tenants seeing a rise compared to 41% in Scotland. Yet affordability pressure tells a more similar story: around 1 in 3 renters in both countries are struggling to afford their rent.

Maintenance costs are the top reason landlords give for raising rents in both countries, but cost-of-living pressures play a stronger role in England – cited by 52% of landlords who chose not to raise rents, compared to 46% in Scotland.

Despite slightly lower incomes on average, tenants in Scotland report higher satisfaction and feel more secure – likely reflecting the stronger legal framework in place since 2017.

Supply and demand: Two markets under pressure

Landlords in Scotland were considerably more active in expanding their portfolios – 23% added at least one property over the past year, compared to just 5% in Scotland, which was a decrease from 8% compared to last year. As in England (63%), landlords in Scotland largely kept their portfolios the same (82% made no changes), and the proportion of landlords who said they sold some or all their properties was identical in both markets at 14%.

With demand continuing to grow, supply needs to keep pace. Among the reasons why landlords sold in Scotland, 38% cited proposed regulatory changes and 28% negative attitudes towards landlords. Encouragingly, the proportion of sales in Scotland staying within the sector – sold to other landlords – has nearly doubled to 17% (up from 9% in 2024), softening the impact on supply. Even so, both Governments must work hard to maintain landlord confidence through reform if the sector is to meet demand. 

On the tenant side, around half of renters in each country reported difficulty finding a suitable property. Scotland, however, is showing encouraging signs: that figure has dropped from 59% last year, suggesting access to the sector is improving.

Knowledge of the law: A gap that needs closing

Keeping pace with legal change is a persistent challenge – and in Scotland it's particularly acute. While 21% of landlords in England feel unable to keep up with the law, in Scotland the figure rises to 25%. More strikingly, only 21% of landlords in Scotland feel that changes are clearly communicated to them, compared to 41% in England.

This matters. A landlord who doesn't understand the rules is more likely to breach them unintentionally. It's a priority area for both TDS Charitable Foundation and SafeDeposits Scotland Charitable Trust, where we're actively funding initiatives and engaging with both Governments on improving landlord and tenant education.

When problems do arise, tenants in Scotland who escalated fared well – 94% said the issue was fully or partly resolved after going to their local council or First-tier Tribunal. In England, 85% said the same after complaining to a redress scheme or their local council. Both figures are encouraging, but awareness of these routes remains limited.

Energy Efficiency: Awareness is lagging

Most renters don't know their property's EPC rating – 60% of tenants in England were unaware, compared to 47% in Scotland. Where ratings were known, the vast majority of properties in both countries meet current minimum standards.

Scotland edges ahead on higher-rated homes, with 34% achieving band C or above versus 26% in England. As both Governments push towards tighter energy standards, closing the awareness gap will be just as important as improving the properties themselves.

What this tells us

Scotland's experience shows that reform can result in tenants feeling more happy and secure in their properties. But implementation matters as much as legislation. Landlord satisfaction is low in Scotland, and too few understand the rules they're expected to follow. As previously mentioned by the Rent Better Evaluation, lack of awareness among tenants is also limiting the impact of the Government’s reform agenda. As England embarks on its own reforms, investing in education, clear communication of regulatory change, and robust redress mechanisms will be just as important as the legislation itself.