Housing Bill targets neglect
9 Mar 05
Local authorities to be given tougher powers over private landlords
The Scottish Executive has unveiled new legislation which will give tougher powers to local authorities to charge private landlords for repairs.
The Housing (Scotland) Bill would put the onus on home owners to keep their properties in good condition, and enable councils to step in much earlier to stop buildings falling into disrepair, helping to improve the overall quality of the nation's housing stock.
This would mean greater protection for tenants with landlords who fail to carry out basic repairs.
Under the bill, councils will no longer have to provide grants when issuing homeowners with statutory repairs notices but instead will offer advice, assistance or loans.