This could rise to two years if convicted on indictment, meaning a serious offence, while the amendment is to the Scottish Housing Bill.
Labour MSP Katy Clark, who introduced the proposals, told the Daily Record: “There’s an urgent need to strengthen the law to increase the criminal sanctions for rogue landlords.
“That has to include the possibility of lengthy jail sentences for the worst kinds of ‘slum’ landlords who forcibly evict vulnerable and poverty-stricken tenants.
“There’s absolutely no excuse for failing to strengthen the law to crack down on this abuse in the rental sector.”
The Scottish Association of Landlords warned that new measures need to be properly enforced to make any difference.
John Blackwood, its chief executive told Property118: “While changing the law might help, there remains the bigger issue of the lack of enforcement of current legislation and concerns about ensuring that any news laws actually address the problems they are designed to solve.”
In terms of other amendments to the bill, rent increases in controlled areas can be limited to the CPI annual rate of inflation plus 1%, up to a maximum of 6%. The cap will apply to rent increase both during and in between tenancies.
Shirley-Anne Somerville, social justice secretary, said: “Scotland already has some of the strongest rights in the UK for tenants, but we want to improve the renting experience even more to create an affordable, high-quality and fair rented sector.
“We have been working closely with tenants’ organisations to develop provisions in the Housing Bill to improve renters’ rights, including a system of long-term rent controls that is fair for tenants and encourages investment in the sector.
“Our rented sector is a crucial part of tackling the housing emergency and these measures provide important certainty for tenants.”
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