It has been revealed that almost two-thirds of tenants fear they will be evicted as the rent cap in Scotland has come to an end. 

In a poll carried out between December and March by the tenants' union Living Rent, 62 percent of 903 tenants in the private sector said they worry for their homes.

In the same survey, 98 percent of respondents said worries over rent increases and eviction had impacted on their mental health, while 85 percent believe a price hike will have an impact on their quality of life, and 73 percent said they will have to cut back on non-essentials.

It comes after the three percent rent cap, which came as part of the Scottish Government's Cost Of Living Act, was lifted on March 31, after first being implemented in October 2022. 

Now, Scottish Government have introduced new protections as of April 1, designed to limit rent rises. 

Under the new rules, tenants must still be given the normal three months’ notice of any rent rise - which could rise between three and six percent following the end of the cap. 

If the gap between the rent currently being paid and its value on the open market is more than 6 percent, the landlord will now be allowed to increase the rent to a maximum of 12 percent.

However, we reported yesterday that a Glasgow couple, who spoke exclusively with the Glasgow Times, said they are getting evicted after refusing to accept a '45 percent rent increase' from their landlord. 

Others took to X to say that their rent has been increased by as much as 20 and 23 percent following the end of the cap. 

Speaking on the issue, Ruth Gilbert, national campaign officer at Living Rent, said the recent survey carried out by the organisation shows the "crisis" facing renters in Scotland.

"Now that the rent cap and eviction ban have ended, tenants are faced with a tidal wave of evictions, rapid increases in homelessness, and an overall rise in poverty," she said.

She continued: "We know we cannot trust landlords to regulate themselves.

"Though the Government has announced their Housing Bill, it will be years before tenants feel its protections.

"Current regulation is not strong enough. The rent adjudication measures are complex and unworkable and landlords will continue to exploit every loophole possible to increase rents and displace tenants.

"Our findings should be a call to MSPs to champion thorough and robust legislation that puts the hundreds of thousands of tenants first.

"Tenants need a robust system of rent controls tied to the property, not the tenancy, which protects all tenants."

John Blackwood, chief executive of the Scottish Association of Landlords, called for an end to "stop-gap measures" from the Scottish Government which have not been effective.

He said: "We need to see an end to political rhetoric demonising private landlords and a co-ordinated solution which encourages investment in social housing, council housing, the private rented sector and new owner-occupied homes.

"Only with that kind of co-ordinated, partnership approach can we make it affordable for landlords to continue to let out homes to rent while increasing supply of all types of housing to make sure that everyone can have the home they deserve at a cost they can afford."

The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.