The Scottish government wants landlords’ views on its new Housing Bill, which focuses on rent control and tenants’ rights.

Its consultation also includes questions on proposed new powers to address eviction procedures, homelessness prevention, new rights to request to keep a pet, and converting assured tenancies into private residential tenancies.

Propertymark has raised concerns about the practicalities of requirements for rent assessments and reports, as well as the designation of rent control areas, including the capacity for already overstretched local authorities to carry out these activities on top of existing statutory duties.

While the government insists it will work with councils to ensure they have enough resources, the agents’ body is concerned that impact assessments that go alongside the legislation are still being worked up by officials.

Meeting

Its head of policy and campaigns, Timothy Douglas (pictured), has met tenants’ rights minister Patrick Harvie as part of the Scottish government’s private rented sector stakeholder group, when he stressed the need for a review of all costs and taxes impacting private landlords as part of the Bill.

Douglas also called for certainty over the timescales and implementation; the Bill was introduced on 26th March and is likely to take between 12-15 months to go through the Scottish Parliament.

When pressed, Harvie agreed it was important that the Bill works alongside any new proposals for energy efficiency targets and promised to have a conversation with government colleagues about a review of costs and taxes.

Propertmark says it continues to assert that rent control proposals should be dropped in favour of focusing on other actions to make the PRS more affordable. In the coming weeks, Douglas will meet sector organisations to build a coalition of support for amendments to improve the legislation.

Image credits: Scottish Parliament/Propertymark