News archives
Minimum EPC regulations: implementation timetable updated
The Scottish Government has advised SAL that it intends to postpone the introduction of the minimum EPC requirement until 1 October 2020 due to delays in finalising the regulations. The government now intends to lay final regulations before parliament by April to...
Are you registered with the ICO?
In order to comply with data protection legislation most landlords and letting agents should be registered with the Information Commissioner (the ICO). Registration can be done online here and in most cases costs £40 per year. You can check whether you need to...
Plans for holiday let regulation announced
Following a public consultation on the regulation of short term/holiday lets last year, that government has announced plans to regulate the sector. The Housing Minister announced in parliament that the Scottish Government will: Introduce licencing for short-term lets,...
Reminder: timing of rent arrears notice
SAL members are reminded that following an Upper Tribunal case last year, they should wait until a PRT tenant has owed some rent for a period of three months before serving a Notice to Leave on the rent arrears ground. The Upper Tribunal set an important but...
Rebrand for member agent One Stop Properties
New Year, New Brand, New Team A recent rebrand and fit out for One Stop Properties has been ‘turning heads’ in Glasgow. A stunning gold property forms the basis of the new logo which reflects the quality properties that One Stop Properties manages on behalf of...
Christmas and New Year holiday
The SAL office and member helpline closes on Tuesday 24 December 2019 and reopens at 9.00am on Monday 6 January 2020. Membership renewals and setting up direct debits for membership payments can still be done online throughout the holiday period – see your...
Government responds to tenement maintenance proposals
SAL is a member of a cross party working group set up by the Scottish Parliament to establish solutions to aid, assist and compel owners of tenement properties to maintain their buildings. Earlier this year the group published its final recommendations report which...
Hotpoint/Indesit washing machine recall
Landlords have a duty of care to ensure their property is safe for their tenants to live in. With this in mind landlords should be alert to product recalls and ensure that where a recall is issued for a product they have supplied in a rental property, that they take...
Letting agent registration update
CLA director Mike Campbell recently attended a stakeholder meeting with the Scottish Government to get an update on how registration is progressing. So far 863 agents are registered and seven applications have been refused. A list of the refusals can be found on the...
DWP announces improvements to landlord payments
Direct payment of Universal Credit to a landlord, referred to as “managed payment to landlord” (MPL) can be made when any of the following apply: a claimant is in arrears with their rent for an amount equal to, or more than, two months of their renta claimant has...