BDC Magazine - Online version December 2015 Issue - 216 | Page 47

Scottish Land.qxp_feature 2 19/10/2015 15:31 Page 45

Scottish
Association
of Landlords
Concerns voiced about new simplified
tenancies bill in Scotland

C

hanges outlined in the Private Tenancy Bill

said SAL chief executive John Blackwood.

will give tenants greater security and stabil-

“While we understand the political pressure to tackle

ity in their home and community, said

rent rises in hotspots such as Aberdeen and Edinburgh, we

Scottish

Margaret

are concerned these measures could harm investor confi-

Housing

Minister

Burgess. “It will also give landlords reassur-

dence and drive landlords out of the market, leaving a vac-

ance that their tenants will treat their property as a long term

uum that could be filled with less than scrupulous individ-

home, rather than somewhere temporary,” she pointed out.

uals,” he explained.

“The private rented sector is changing. It is now home to

“The way to reduce rent levels in a sustainable manner

a growing number of people in Scotland, and we recognise

is to increase housing supply, not punishing landlords that

there are some areas where rents are increasing significant-

are investing tens of thousands of pounds in their proper-

ly. It is right and responsible to give local authorities the

ties,” he added.

ability to introduce rent controls in order to ease areas
under pressure,” she added.

According to Scottish Land & Estates, the sector also
needs to attract new investment, especially in rural areas. Its

Simplified residential tenancies are now being introduced in

members are at the forefront of supplying rural housing

Scotland but experts warn that more needs to be done to maintain

across the country, many at affordable rents, and the organi-

supply in the private rented sector and attract more investment.

sation said there were many positive elements to the Bill but

The Scottish Association of Landlords said while there is

that certain elements could impact on rural housing supply.

a broad agreement that the rental regime in the private rented

“We welcome the degree of clarity that the introduction

sector needed to be modernised as part of a drive to increase

of the Bill has provided and we can see that there are many

standards and protect tenants, there are concerns that it

positive elements to the government’s proposals. The simpli-

could harm investment in a sector which is said to have a key

fication of the tenancy regime is something that we have

role to play in solving Scotland's long term housing crisis.

long argued for and it is pleasing that the Scottish

“We have particular concerns about measures such as

Government has made a concerted effort to address the need

rent controls, as well as removing the right of a landlord to

for reform,” said Katy Dickson, policy officer for business

end a lease naturally, subject to a reasonable notice period,”

and property at Scottish Land & Estates.