The SafeDeposits Scotland Charitable Trust - the grant-giving charity designed to help improve Scotland's private rented sector (PRS) - is looking forward to the year ahead, as a host of projects funded by the Trust gets underway. The Trust is also seeking further expressions of interest from individuals and organisations who have exciting and innovative suggestions that would enhance the workings of the PRS in Scotland.
Since launching in 2016, the SafeDeposits Scotland Charitable Trust has funded a variety of projects in Scotland that meet the charity's aims - to advance best practice in customer service by landlords, improve tenants' information, rights and obligations, and promote alternative dispute resolution (ADR).
Among the organisations to have been awarded funding previously are the University of Strathclyde Mediation Clinic - for The Housing Project, which has been built on the clinic's experience and expertise, providing mediation services for private rented housing in Scotland; and Shelter Scotland - for the redevelopment and update of rentingscotland.org, a free online tool that offers tenants and landlords a comprehensive guide to private renting in Scotland.
2019 will see activity on the following projects, among others...
Positive Action in Housing - Understanding the Private Sector. Positive Action in Housing will deliver a year round programme of multilingual services targeting refugees, new migrants and other minority ethnic groups. With the purpose of increasing the understanding of the PRS amongst the minority ethnic and refugee communities, this new project will aim to educate and advise tenants and homeowners in Glasgow and the surrounding areas.
Under One Roof - Private Landlord Seminars. Following the success of similar events in 2018, Under One Roof will further roll out its seminars designed to help landlords tackle disrepair in common properties of blocks of flats. The seminars - which will take place at locations across Scotland - aim to provide landlords and letting agents with information on the typical maintenance problems that they may come across and how they can deal with co-owners who may be reluctant or unable to join common repair schemes.
Scottish Mediation - Mediating Ways Workshops. Scottish Mediation will develop and deliver a series of workshops to improve relationships between agents, landlords and tenants in the PRS. The three-hour sessions will give participants the chance to learn about the causes of conflict and how it can escalate, as well as how to avoid situations where relationship breakdowns can lead to conflict. The workshops have been endorsed by the Scottish Government's Letting Agent Registration Team and will count for three hours worth of formal continuing professional development (CPD) for letting agents.
Follow the links above to find out more about these organisations. And for further information about the SafeDeposits Scotland Charitable Trust, including case studies on other projects, funding criteria and how to apply for funding, visit www.safedepositsscotlandtrust.com
