Monday 30 November 2015

GLC warns MSPs that Private Tenancies Bill would give tenants a 'zero hours contract' on their home unless amended

Govan Law Centre gave oral evidence before the Scottish Parliament's Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee on 18 November 2015, along with the Legal Services Agency, the Law Society of Scotland, COSLA, ALACHO and the City of Edinburgh Council. The Official Report of the meeting is available online here.

Giving evidence on behalf of GLC, Mike Dailly said: "The aims of the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill were good but there were too many mandatory grounds for landlords to evict tenants. It is the equivalent of giving a tenant a zero hours contract on their home."

"As a matter of principle and economic prudence, Govan Law Centre does not believe an ever-increasing PRS is capable of meeting Scotland’s housing need. The sector falls short of being fit for purpose at present. We support UNISON Scotland’s proposals for encouraging pension funds to invest in building good quality affordable housing for rent."

"The private rented sector in Glasgow has grown in recent years and it can be summed us as 'A tale of two cities.'  For those who can afford higher rents there is choice and more good properties available but for those who have no alternative it is a bad experience. The executive looking to move home for a job would have good choice because he has good income but lots end up in private rented homes because they have no other choice."

The ICI Committee is taking oral evidence from the Minister for Housing in Scotland on Wednesday 2 December 2015, and will thereafter prepare its Stage 1 Report on the Bill in January 2016.
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Wednesday 11 November 2015

Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill - GLC's written evidence at Stage 1

Govan Law Centre has submitted its written evidence to the Scottish Parliament's Stage 1 inquiry of the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill, which is available as a PDF document here.  GLC will be presenting oral evidence to the Parliament's Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee next Wednesday, 18 November 2015.
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