The minister outlined his position during a question-and-answer session at Scottish Letting Day, the annual conference of the Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL).

The landlord body hopes Minister McLennan’s comments come as the latest sign of a change in the Scottish Government thinking towards the private rented sector (PRS), since the end of the Bute House Agreement with the Scottish Greens.

The minister also confirmed that his government considers landlords to be “working people”, an assertion that clashes with that of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who said his government does not consider landlords to be “working people” during the recent Budget. 

The welcomed statements came as the minister sat down with SAL chief executive, John Blackwood, to discuss topics including rent controls and the legacy of the Bute House Agreement. 

The minister has previously claimed that he wants to “reset” the relationship with Scotland’s PRS and has told landlords that they have a key role to play in solving Scotland’s housing crisis. 

Scottish Letting Day 2024 was held at Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh, attracting landlords, letting agents, and other stakeholders from across Scotland. 

Scottish Association of Landlords chief executive, John Blackwood, said: “Scottish Letting Day 2024 was a huge success, and it was wonderful to have the Housing Minister speak directly to us. 

“We were relieved to hear that the Scottish Government considers landlords to be working people and that we have the right to make a return on our investments, signalling that the government has moved on from the days of the Bute House Agreement.

“I want to thank everyone who contributed to making our annual conference such a success and say that I look forward to us all getting back together next year.”