Scottish Labour are calling for the eviction ban to be extended amid fears of a rise in homelessness.
Party deputy leader Jackie Baillie is also calling for a hardship grant to be introduced to protect tenants.
An eviction ban has been a key element of the Government’s strategy during lockdown, but it only applies to areas in levels three and four.
With progress having been made with the vaccine programme, the entire country is in now level 2 or below and there are fears tenants could be vulnerable again.
MSPs will this week debate an extension of the Government’s coronavirus legislation and Baillie believes tenant protection should be enhanced.
She said: “The public health crisis has led to an economic crisis. Many Scots are struggling to make ends meet and thousands of renters are in arrears – we cannot let them down.
“But with restrictions easing, evictions have begun in earnest. And the Tenant’s Hardship Loan fund is not working – it’s paid out less than 5% of the funds made available and has rejected more than double the number of applications than it has approved.
“No one should be staring down the barrel of homelessness in the teeth of a pandemic.”
She added: "That’s why Scottish Labour is calling on the Scottish Government to support those in rent arrears as a result of the pandemic and use its powers to extend the ban on evictions beyond just level 3 and 4 areas and introduce a Tenant’s Hardship Grant."
The Scottish Government has been contacted.
