Jemma Maclaren, who has lived in her Partick flat for nine years, was recently informed her rent would rise from £695 to £895, a 29% rent increase.

According to Living Rent, when Jemma contested the change, the landlord issued her with a notice to quit, which will take effect on 17 December.

The union said no improvement work has been undertaken at the property to warrant such an increase. It took action on August 18, staging an award ceremony outside the Charing Cross office of Kelvin Properties, handing the landlord the ‘Biggest Rent Hike of the Month Award’.

Living Rent is also demanding that Kelvin Properties cancel the rent increase and withdraw the notice to quit. It is also urging the Scottish Government to take action on increasing rents across the country.

When contacted by Living Rent, Kelvin properties, responded that “whilst [we] appreciate Jemma’s circumstances and we have over the time of her tenancy agreed and negotiated the rent increase, as a landlord we now also find ourselves experiencing a sharp increase in costs. With a large hike in all management fees across the board including factoring, insurance, maintenance, materials etc. This increase is in no way meant to function as an ‘eviction notice’; it simply functions to bring it in line with market rent value for this area.”

Jemma Maclaren, a Living Rent member, said: “I am terrified. This rent increase and eviction notice means I am not able to plan anything, and with the cost of living crisis, everything is hitting me at once. I am trying to keep it together for my daughter so she does not get anxious and worried about having to leave her school and friends, but Christmas is cancelled this year and I am dreading it. This is not what life in your forties is meant to be like.”

Living Rent member defence representative Lewis: “Jemma’s story shows exactly why we in Living Rent do what we do: callous landlords hiking up rents and threatening to put people on the street at Christmas. Similar situations are happening all over Scotland, and it is all the more shameful given the cost of living crisis and the fact that ordinary people are struggling to put food on the table and heat their homes. We need to resist this appalling behaviour by standing together, and we urgently need the Scottish Government to do the responsible thing and freeze rents.”

Kelvin Properties told Scottish Housing News that the company sought advice from local agents and looked at comparable properties when working out the open market rental value of the home.

A spokesperson said: “The rental increase simply brings Ms Maclaren’s rent in line with the open market rents for the location. Tenants have the opportunity to contact the Housing and Property Chamber and can apply to the tribunal for a determination of what the rent should be if they think their rent is too high.”

The spokesperson added: “Regrettably as a business, we are not in a position to absorb the cost of the increase in management costs, factoring, insurance premiums and maintenance costs for this property without a rental increase being forthcoming.

“Ms Maclaren did not apply the Tribunal for a determination and advised she was unable to afford the increase and indicated that she was unhappy with her neighbours. We, therefore, have followed procedure and issued Ms Maclaren with notice to bring her tenancy to an end.”