News In Focus
8 March 2010
Consultation to help shape Housing Bill
The Scottish Government has launched a further consultation on private rented housing in Scotland to support its proposed Private Housing (Scotland) Bill.
The proposals build on the current Housing (Scotland) Bill and take forward the work of the Scottish Private Rented Sector Strategy Group. The Group was established in October 2009 and published recommendations in January of matters that might be the subject of consultation.
These come under four headings:
- landlord registration, dealing with offences to be declared, criminal record checks and disclosing registration details;
- HMO licensing, allowing tenants and local authorities to claim back rent paid in an unlicensed HMO, and dealing with failure to provide information when required;
- overcrowding in the private rented sector, increasing the powers of local authorities including a new overcrowding abatement order in cases of serious nuisance or effect on welfare; and
- tenancy regime, including measures relating to access or repossession by a landlord, and information to tenants.
Another subject covered by the consultation is licensing of mobile home sites. There are a number of proposals aimed at raising standards on sites and enabling local authorities to enforce revised minimum standards of management.
Finally, the paper seeks views on proposals to change the two 20 year rules that currently limit the length of residential leases and allow the redemption of a standard security over a property in return for the payment of the outstanding amount of the loan plus any charges.
This consultation will last only for six weeks, until 19 April. This is because of the tight timetable if any of the proposals are to be taken forward in primary legislation in the current parliamentary session.
Click here to view the consultation.