Cost of living: Rent hike forces parents-to-be out of home

An NHS worker says he has been forced out of his family home by "eyewatering" rent increases.

Father-to-be Benjamin Kritikos and his wife had to leave the property they have lived in for three years after their landlord said he was increasing monthly bills by 21%.

Cost of living pressures meant the couple, whose first child is due in October, could not afford the rent.

The couple, from Glasgow, have now had to find a cheaper home.

Mr Kritikos, 42, works in blood transfusion. He told BBC Scotland the stress of worrying about the roof over his head has led to panic attacks and taken a toll on his mental health.

The rent increase would have added an extra £150 to their monthly bills.

Living Rent, an organisation representing renters in Scotland, has found prices in the private rental market are at a record high - with the average monthly cost increasing by 8.5% in the past year.

In some parts of Glasgow and Edinburgh, the jump in prices is almost 20%, it said.

The crisis prompted a cost-of-living summit in Glasgow on Friday which brought trade union and community groups together to search for solutions.

Experts in housing, transport, food and fuel thrashed out ideas to encourage the UK and Scottish governments to go further on their packages of support.

Both governments' financial assistance is directed primarily at those on low incomes.

The Holyrood administration has increased a number of benefits by 6% while Downing Street is providing a £400 discount on all energy bills in October, in addition to payments totalling £650 to people on means-tested benefits.

However, a UK-wide survey commissioned by BBC on Friday, revealed 64% of those asked felt the UK government's support was insufficient.

Mr Kritikos said the rising rent just became too much to cope with.

He said: "After living in the flat for three years we considered it our home. When the rent increase took place, it meant we had to move out of the flat.

"I found myself having panic attacks when there were threats. I was signed off work for two weeks and given medication. It was a very difficult situation to find yourself in.

"There was no way we could pay 21% more than we were paying before when the rent was already too high."

Campaigners say average rental costs in Edinburgh are now £1,214 while in Glasgow the figure is £972 per month.

General prices, as measured by inflation, are rising at a rate of 9% a year, the fastest for 40 years. Interest rates, which also affect the cost of living, were increased to 1.25% on Thursday by the Bank of England - the highest they have been for 13 years.

The situation is being driven to a significant degree by global factors such as the cost of oil, gas and food.

The Scottish government's Housing Secretary Shona Robison condemned private landlords who were increasing rents in the face of soaring prices.

She said: "It is extremely disappointing that landlords would do that during this current situation.

"Everybody is struggling but we all need to play our part. The Scottish government is investing £770m this year alone.

"We are concerned to make sure rents are affordable. We are looking at the issue of rent controls going forward.

"We are also providing discretionary housing payments which are helping 90,000 people remain in their home when they otherwise wouldn't be able to afford to."

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