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Meeting of the Parliament 17 March 2011

17 Mar 2011 · S3 · Meeting of the Parliament

Item of business

Private Rented Housing (Scotland) Bill

Tolson, Jim LD Dunfermline West Watch on SPTV

One principal element of the bill is the measures on the registration of private landlords. Alex Neil said that the bill is targeted at a minority of landlords who give the industry a bad name. The bill targets the worst offenders, which was the point that I made during the stage 1 debate when I suggested that good landlords have “nothing whatever to fear” from the bill. Let us hope and pray that that means the majority of landlords. Other landlords will have to either shape up or ship out. There will be no room for poor landlords in the future.

The danger to residents cannot have been set out more starkly than in the example that Patricia Ferguson gave, which was a welcome reminder to us all. Charlie Gordon said that the bill is

“the beginning of the end for rogue landlords.”

As is often the case, he hit the nail on the head quite well.

Mary Mulligan sought to expand the fit-and-proper person test that is in the bill and I welcome that. She also talked about impressing the proposed changes on local authorities and the judiciary, which is also key. There is no point in our raising the level of fines or making sure that local authorities do the checks if there is no enforcement. The carrot and the stick are often required in legislation, and that is no less true than for the bill we are discussing today.

Overcrowding was another key area for me while I worked through the stages of the bill in committee and in the Parliament. Mary Mulligan said that it is a complicated issue. I certainly found some of the amendments—including those on overcrowding in particular—very complicated, because of their potential outcomes. We had to make sure that we got things as right as possible, which is why, at the end of the day, the Liberal Democrats were happy to support the amendments on overcrowding.

Alex Johnstone mentioned the stage 2 amendment that he lodged so that HMO density would be discussed. Although that discussion was certainly welcome, I have also discussed the issue with permanent residents in St Andrews, who, like people in other places in the country, have deep and long-held concerns that must be listened to. In agreeing to Ted Brocklebank’s amendment today, the Liberal Democrats feel that the bill now strikes a reasonable balance between the needs of all residents in areas where there are HMOs.

The bill has meant a significant amount of work for the committee, and I paid tribute earlier to all those who were involved. We had extensive and sometimes testing committee sessions on the bill. We had concerns about some of the stage 2 amendments, although the evidence from and on behalf of students and permanent residents was clear for all to see. We have agreed to amendments today that should, in time, provide solutions for both sides and help them to live in harmony in their communities.

I am glad that John Wilson mentioned hard-wired smoke alarms. I promoted them as part of the Scottish housing quality standards while I was on Fife Council. As a homeowner who once had a fire—fortunately, I was not at home at the time—I know that the smoke alarm allowed the fire service to take quicker action. I personally welcome any action that ensures that hard-wired smoke alarms are provided.

The Liberal Democrats believe that private rented accommodation plays an essential part in meeting our housing needs and we support the benefits and improvements that the bill will bring.

16:32

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Meeting of the Parliament 17 March 2011

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