Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 04 June 2013
04 Jun 2013 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Private Rentals (Deposits)
I, too, thank Patrick Harvie for bringing the issue to the chamber for debate. It is clearly important to all of us. I have listened carefully to what has been said and I will respond to some of the points that members made.
I share the concerns for tenants who are treated unfairly when the time comes to lodge or return deposits. That is why the Scottish Government introduced tenancy deposit schemes. So far, the uptake has been strong, although that might not be how it is portrayed. The final deadline for all existing deposits to be lodged with one of the three schemes was 15 May 2013 and, by that time, 146,300 deposits with a value of £93.75 million had been lodged with the approved schemes.
I have read the Evening Times article about private landlords failing to lodge deposits with one of the approved schemes. I know that not all landlords take a deposit from tenants. However, when we compare the number of deposits lodged with the number of private rented properties registered with local authorities, the suggestion is that some landlords still need to lodge deposits. The Scottish Government will therefore continue to work with the scheme providers and other stakeholders such as Citizens Advice Scotland and Shelter Scotland to encourage compliance with the law.
I share the concerns for tenants who are treated unfairly when the time comes to lodge or return deposits. That is why the Scottish Government introduced tenancy deposit schemes. So far, the uptake has been strong, although that might not be how it is portrayed. The final deadline for all existing deposits to be lodged with one of the three schemes was 15 May 2013 and, by that time, 146,300 deposits with a value of £93.75 million had been lodged with the approved schemes.
I have read the Evening Times article about private landlords failing to lodge deposits with one of the approved schemes. I know that not all landlords take a deposit from tenants. However, when we compare the number of deposits lodged with the number of private rented properties registered with local authorities, the suggestion is that some landlords still need to lodge deposits. The Scottish Government will therefore continue to work with the scheme providers and other stakeholders such as Citizens Advice Scotland and Shelter Scotland to encourage compliance with the law.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S4M-06681, in the name of Patrick Harvie, on protecting tenants’ deposits. The debate will...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
I put on record my thanks to the 27 MSPs who have added their names in support of the motion, representing four political parties and independents who repres...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I welcome the opportunity to contribute to such an important debate, and I congratulate Patrick Harvie on securing it and bringing the issue to the chamber.T...
Patrick Harvie
Green
Will Alex Johnstone give way?
Alex Johnstone
Con
I am actually over my time and should be stopping. However, I am sure that the opportunity will come along.Effective enforcement can do a great deal more tha...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Mr Johnstone has advised me that he has to leave the debate early because he has parliamentary business to attend to.17:15
Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I am delighted to contribute to this debate on the subject of protecting tenants’ deposits. I thank Patrick Harvie for recognising the growing importance of ...
Marco Biagi (Edinburgh Central) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the chance to debate the matter because, in my constituency, 41 per cent of households now live in the private rented sector. I do not know what th...
Elaine Murray (Dumfriesshire) (Lab)
Lab
I, too, congratulate Patrick Harvie on securing the debate, as the failure of many landlords to comply with the regulations by the required date last month i...
Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (Lab)
Lab
I congratulate Patrick Harvie on lodging an important motion on protection of tenants’ deposits. It has become an increasingly important issue over the past ...
Kezia Dugdale (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I congratulate Patrick Harvie on bringing the issue to the chamber. My first job out of university was as a welfare adviser at Edinburgh University Students ...
The Minister for Housing and Welfare (Margaret Burgess)
SNP
I, too, thank Patrick Harvie for bringing the issue to the chamber for debate. It is clearly important to all of us. I have listened carefully to what has be...
Patrick Harvie
Green
Would the minister consider ensuring that no landlord has any legal justification for withholding a deposit that has not been lodged with an approved scheme?
Margaret Burgess
SNP
Landlords must lodge deposits with an approved scheme—that is why the schemes were set up and those are the rules of the schemes. If a landlord does not do t...
Marco Biagi
SNP
We are all interested in the enforcement working. What conversations has the Government had with local authorities on the difficulties and challenges that th...
Margaret Burgess
SNP
We have set up a working group. The strategy makes it clear that we will work with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, given that local authorities...