JOHN Swinney, Scotland’s First Minister, has pledged to grant new “first refusal” rights to private tenants if the SNP is re-elected in the Holyrood election in May.
Under the plans, when any landlord owner decides to list a property on the market, the tenant will be given a period of exclusivity, during which they will be allowed to purchase the property “at a fair market rate”.
The Scottish Parliament declared a national housing emergency two years ago, citing rising property costs, a sharp increase in homelessness, and a shortage of social homes.
Local authorities across the country have followed suit, with the average price of a property in Scotland rising to around £188,000.
Edinburgh has been fighting a particularly stark housing shortage, with house prices rising to almost £300,000.
The SNP say that this legislation, along with a pledge to provide up to £10,000 towards a deposit for first-time home buyers, will provide essential support for young people looking to get onto the property ladder.
Swinney announced the policy during a visit Inverness. Speaking ahead of the policy launch, he said:
“Too many young people are being locked out of home ownership as a result of the cost of living crisis.
“So many people are stuck paying more on rent than they would on a mortgage – and with costs just going up and up, there is nothing left over at the end of the month to save for a deposit.
“And that is made all the more difficult when private renters find themselves having to leave their home because the owner has decided to sell up.
“As well as forcing people to upend their whole lives, it also has serious financial implications.
“That is why I will give renters the right to first refusal on the home they live in – at a fair market rate – if the owner of the property decides to sell.
“This will help people to put down roots and to feel secure in their own home – without the risk of being turfed out against their will.
“With our £10,000 help towards a deposit for First Time Buyers, the SNP is taking serious action to support our young people and unlocking the dream of home ownership for a generation that has been badly let down by Westminster.”
Swinney has also pledged to establishment of a new housing agency and a total revamp of the planning system.
The Conservatives have argued, however, that these plans will make it more difficult for properties to be brought to the market.
Anna Gardiner, Senior Policy Adviser (Business & Property) at Scottish Land & Estates, echoed these concerns:
“Beyond the fundamental question it raises about an individual’s right to sell their property freely, this policy would introduce additional delay, bureaucracy and legal complexity into what should be a straightforward process.
“That will inevitably drive up costs for both landlords and tenants and accelerate the steady exit of landlords from the sector.
“Successive market interventions – from rent caps to increasingly complex tribunal processes and now potential restrictions on how properties are sold – are having a cumulative effect.
“Rather than easing pressure, they are reducing supply and making Scotland’s housing crisis more acute.
The SNP has also pledged a new £100m first homes fund if the party prevails.
However, during the last Holyrood election, the SNP promised to deliver 110,000 affordable homes, a figure the government does not appear to be on track to deliver unless there is a housebuilding acceleration.
Ross Chalmers is a journalist focusing on local Edinburgh news, transport, the environment, the arts, and housing.
He graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in journalism in Summer 2025 and began working at Deadline News as a reporter in August.
