A Renfrewshire Councillor has welcomed calls to improve repairs in Private Lets.Renfrewshire’s SNP Housing Spokesperson Councillor Mags MacLaren said yesterday that ‘it’s a good move that will help a lot of tenants in private lets’.
The Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) want to ensure all repairs or upgrades meet required standards and are carried out by accredited professionals, whilst also calling for more to be done to enforce those standards to ensure properties are safe for tenants.
SAL has joined with SELECT, the trade association for the electrical contracting industry in Scotland, to urge private landlords to ensure repairs or upgrades are carried out safely and meet all the required standards.
SAL also believes that more could be done to enforce regulations in order to further encourage responsible behaviour. They are asking enforcement authorities to work with them to do more to drive rogue players out of the market, allowing the overwhelming majority of landlords who act responsibly to continue to provide high quality accommodation across Scotland.
Councillor Mags MacLaren said: “This is a good move that will help a lot of tenants in private lets.
“Too many tenants in private lets have to suffer from poor repairs to their properties and this move by the Scottish Association of Landlords is a great initiative.
“The new incoming SNP administration of Renfrewshire Council will work hard to improve housing conditions for those renting privately. We will look at all the powers council have to ensure that rogue landlords are driven out of business in Renfrewshire.”
John Blackwood, chief executive of SAL, said: “Whether it is an urgent repair, planned maintenance or a major upgrade, it is essential that landlords ensure that they are using a company or individual who has undergone the required training and that the work meets building standards.
“As well as being the legal route which must be taken, this also fulfils the landlords responsibility to their tenant and protects their long-term investment in their property.”