The Herald - The Herald Magazine
THE VOICE OF PROPERTY
EARLIER this week the Queen’s Speech included the abolition of Section 21 evictions in England and a new Ombudsman for private landlords, with the intention of solving disputes without needing to go to court.
Meanwhile in Scotland, this week’s debate on the tenancy proposals contained within the Coronovirus (Recovery and Reform) Bill in parliament – whereby all grounds for eviction of a tenant were temporarily made discretionary – seeks to make the change permanent. This would entail tribunals being asked to rule on a landlord’s desire to remove a tenant and reclaim vacant possession, even in cases where the tenant fails to comply with the conditions of their tenancy agreement, including non-payment of rent.
Three organisations – Scottish Land & Estates, Scottish Association of Landlords, and NFU Scotland – sent a joint open letter to the Scottish Government warning the supply of homes for rent may be irreparably damaged by the proposed new legislation.
Sarah-Jane Laing, chief executive of Scottish Land & Estates, comments: “Landlords are gravely concerned that measures to address a public health crisis are instead being used as a smokescreen to diminish the rights of property owners. This applies to everyone who rents out property, be it a single city flat or homes in rural areas.
“Mandatory grounds for reclaiming a property, such as wanting to sell the property or wanting to live in the house yourself, will become discretionary, meaning a tribunal could agree that your reasons for reclaiming the property are valid but they do not necessarily need to grant an eviction order. If any landlord is unable to regain vacant possession, there is evidence from property professionals which states this could crush the value of a property by up to 50 per cent.”
HOMESEARCH, the property data and estate agent prospecting platform, has launched in Scotland with a view to helping agents north of the border drive business growth. The firm, which currently works with more than 1,000 agents across England and Wales, is looking to partner with agents north of the border now that it is equipped with the tools needed to give agents comprehensive information on every home in Scotland.