With all major party manifestos now published ahead of the Scottish Election 2026, housing has emerged as one of the defining issues.
Across Scotland, proposals on first time buyer support, property taxation, landlord regulation and housing supply could all have a material impact on the market over the coming years.
Below, we provide an overview – in alphabetical order – of each party’s key housing pledges, alongside our perspective on what they may mean in practice for the property market.
The Scottish Conservatives
The Conservatives take a market led approach, focusing on reducing taxation and encouraging both homeownership and investment.
Key housing pledges include abolishing LBTT on residential transactions, which they suggest would save the average buyer around £900, alongside reducing Additional Dwelling Supplement (ADS) from 8% back to 4%. They also propose scrapping rent controls, supporting private sector housebuilding, progressing planning reform and continuing work on cladding remediation.
What this could mean:
Abolishing LBTT would lower upfront costs and improve market fluidity, particularly for those moving up the ladder. In Edinburgh, this is likely to support transaction volumes and activity, particularly across the mid-to-upper price brackets. Lowering ADS to the level it once was, and the removal of rent controls, may also improve confidence among landlords, helping to stabilise rental supply.
Scottish Greens
The Greens propose the most interventionist approach, particularly in relation to property taxation and regulation.
Their housing pledges include a large expansion of social housing, stronger rent controls and tighter restrictions on second homes and short term lets. Tax proposals include a 15% “mansion tax” on properties over £1 million, increasing ADS to 10%, a 20% tax on overseas buyers and wider increases in taxation on landlords and multiple property ownership. They also support publicly funded cladding remediation.
What this could mean:
These proposals represent a significant increase in the cost of acquiring property, particularly for investors.
While the intention is to improve affordability, the scale of taxation raises concerns about the wider impact on the market. In a city like Edinburgh – where a significant proportion of housing relies on private investment – such changes risk discouraging investment, reducing landlord participation and limiting both rental and resale supply. The policies could end up affecting the very groups the policies are intended to support.
Scottish Liberal Democrats
The Liberal Democrats take a more moderate and delivery focused approach, with an emphasis on increasing supply rather than introducing major structural change.
Their proposals include increasing housebuilding, bringing empty homes back into use and strengthening local delivery and planning. They do not propose significant changes to LBTT or ADS (albeit will consult on possible future reforms) and place a strong emphasis on supporting homeowners affected by cladding.
What this could mean:
The Lib Dem approach is pragmatic and relatively low disruption. By focusing on delivery – particularly through local authorities and existing housing stock – their proposals aim to improve supply without fundamentally altering how the market operates.
The absence of major tax changes also supports stability for buyers and sellers. While the impact may be more gradual, the approach provides a balanced position between supporting tenants and maintaining landlord confidence.
Scottish Labour
Labour combines supply side reform with targeted support for first time buyers.
Key pledges include increasing the LBTT threshold for first time buyers to £200,000, delivering 125,000 homes by 2031, progressing planning reform and expanding mid market rent. There are no explicit changes proposed to ADS, and there is a commitment to accelerate cladding remediation.
What this could mean:
Raising the LBTT threshold would provide meaningful support at the entry level, particularly in cities like Edinburgh where property values have risen significantly since current thresholds were introduced. This would reduce upfront costs and help more first time buyers access the market. This is something that Neilsons, and ESPC members, have campaigned for across the political spectrum.
Increased activity at this level is important, as it drives chain movement across all price brackets. Labour’s focus on housebuilding and planning reform also signals a longer term commitment to increasing supply, although the impact of these measures is likely to be gradual.
Overall, this is a relatively balanced and market aware approach, combining targeted support with a focus on supply.
Reform
Reform proposes a more fundamental shift in how property is taxed.
Their key proposal is to abolish LBTT entirely and replace it with an annual property tax, effectively removing transaction based taxation.
What this could mean:
While removing LBTT may reduce upfront costs and encourage transactions in the short term, the introduction of an annual property tax represents a significant and largely untested shift.
There is limited detail on how such a system would operate, including valuation methods and tax levels, which creates uncertainty around long term ownership costs. While it may improve market fluidity initially, an ongoing tax on property could affect pricing, ownership decisions and behaviour across the market.
Scottish National Party (SNP)
The SNP combines support for first time buyers with more intervention in the rental sector.
Their proposals include a £10,000 First Home Fund with £100m, continued delivery of affordable housing, ongoing rent controls and no major structural changes to LBTT or ADS. A key policy is giving tenants the right to purchase their property before it is marketed for sale at a “fair price”. They also commit to continued funding for cladding remediation.
What this could mean:
The focus on first time buyers is clearly positive and should help support demand at the entry level. The first home fund proved popular in previous years, and helped many first time buyers. Neilsons, alongside other ESPC members, have repeatedly requested the return of such investment into first time buyer initiatives over the years.
However, the tenant purchase proposal raises more complex issues. While the intention is to expand homeownership for tenants, it introduces questions around fairness and market operation. A landlord, as the property owner, would not have full freedom to sell on the open market, despite carrying the financial risk.
There is also uncertainty around how “fair market value” would be determined. In practice, the open market confirms what a property is truly worth, particularly in Edinburgh, where competitive bidding can drive prices higher. Restricting access to that process could limit accurate sale values.
More broadly, policies that constrain how landlords can sell risk discouraging investment and reducing participation in the rental sector. Over time, this could reduce supply, increase rents and limit choice for tenants. Neilsons’ view is a more sensible and fair option would be to allow tenants to match the top Offer received on the open market.
Energy efficiency
Another area of difference across the manifestos is energy efficiency and retrofit policies.
Some parties, particularly the Scottish Greens and SNP, are proposing more ambitious programmes to decarbonise housing, including stricter standards and a move away from fossil fuel heating. Others take a more limited or cost-focused approach.
While more ambitious targets can bring longer term benefits – including improved energy efficiency, lower running costs and reduced emissions – they also introduce practical considerations for homeowners and landlords.
Requirements around energy efficiency can impact the cost of ownership, compliance obligations and, ultimately, how properties are bought, sold and let.
While not always front and centre in the housing debate, this is an area to watch closely over the coming years.
Cladding is a cross-party priority
Encouragingly, there is broad agreement across all parties on the need to address cladding issues.
Most manifestos include commitments to accelerate remediation, increase funding and reduce the financial burden on homeowners. This remains a key issue in Edinburgh, particularly for flat owners affected by lending restrictions and delayed transactions.
Neilsons’ overall view on the housing manifestos
Looking across the manifestos, there is a clear divide between policies aimed at encouraging market activity and those focused on more significant intervention.
It is positive to see widespread recognition of the need to support first time buyers. In a market such as Edinburgh, improving access at this level is essential – not just for those buyers, but for the health of the wider market. A meaningful review of LBTT for first time buyers, alongside targeted support and incentives, could make a real, welcome difference.
At the same time, the importance of the private rented sector cannot be overlooked. Edinburgh has a consistently strong demand for rental property, and this depends on a stable and confident landlord base. Policies that significantly increase costs or restrict how landlords can operate risk reducing supply, which in turn leads to higher rents and fewer options for tenants.
There is also a broader need for clarity and confidence. The property market functions best where taxation, ownership and transaction processes are clear and consistent. Significant structural changes or added complexity can create uncertainty and slow activity.
In our view, the most effective approach is one that strikes a careful balance – supporting first time buyers while ensuring that the wider market, including landlords and investors, remains viable and attractive.
Ultimately, a healthy property market depends on all parts working together. Buyers – especially first time buyers – need access, sellers need confidence, and the rental sector needs sufficient supply. Getting that balance right will be key over the next parliamentary term.
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