SafeDeposits Scotland Blog

Items Left Behind - Help or Hindrance?

Posted on Wednesday 14th of August 2019

What do games consoles, designer clothes and coffee tables have in common? They are among the many personal possessions to have been left behind by tenants after they have moved out of private rented properties in Scotland. To some that may be surprising - that people would leave their belongings (some of which could be considered valuable) behind - but it is actually quite a common occurrence. The reasons for tenants moving on minus that television or...Read More

SafeDeposits Scotland - Coming to a Town Near You?

Posted on Wednesday 7th of August 2019

In 2018-19 the SafeDeposits Scotland team travelled an estimated 12,317 miles across the length and breadth of Scotland to educate and inform landlords, letting agents and tenants on tenancy deposit legislation and what happens when lodging a deposit with a tenancy deposit scheme such as ourselves. Our travels continue and in recent months we've delivered a training session to Citizens Advice Bureau staff in Orkney, attended landlord and letting agent...Read More

Energy Performance Consultation

Posted on Wednesday 31st of July 2019

A hot topic recently - something we have seen discussed and presented on at a number of landlord events across Scotland over the past year - has been that of energy performance. We've rounded up some key points from the Scottish Government and advice service Home Energy Scotland that might help in your efforts to ensure that tenancies run smoothly. The Scottish Government is currently consulting on proposals to improve the energy efficiency and condition...Read More

First-Tier Tribunal - The First 18 Months

Posted on Wednesday 24th of July 2019

In December 2017 the jurisdiction of the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) expanded to include applications in respect of Private Sector Rented Cases and Private Residential Tenancies. In the 18 months since this came into effect the Tribunal has presided over a number of cases involving unprotected tenancy deposits. At SafeDeposits Scotland we have monitored the tenancy deposit cases going before the Tribunal, with decision...Read More

Changes to Landlord Registration

Posted on Wednesday 17th of July 2019

Following public consultation in 2018, the Scottish Government is introducing changes that will require landlords to declare whether or not they comply with specific duties. This will supplement the general declaration about compliance, and will provide local authorities with more helpful information to help them decide whether a landlord should be approved or not. Subject to the Parliamentary process, the change will come into force on 16th September...Read More

What Happens When There is a Dispute Between Tenants?

Posted on Wednesday 10th of July 2019

Disagreements happen. Our alternative dispute resolution (ADR) team works daily to help resolve disputes between tenants and landlords or letting agents. This is a free service that we provide to users in the unfortunate event that a tenancy ends with a disagreement surrounding repayment of the deposit. It is regrettable for all parties when such a scenario arises, but conflict is not something that is exclusive to tenant-landlord/letting agent...Read More