New Deal consultation webinars

Over the last month SAL has run a series of webinars to help members understand and engage with the Scottish Government’s consultation on their draft rented sector strategy which will cover the next five years. The strategy, entitled “A New Deal for Tenants” aims to give tenants more secure, stable and affordable tenancies with improved standards of accommodation and more flexibility to personalise their homes.

Each of the three webinars involved representatives of the Scottish Government who are involved in PRS policy being interviewed by SAL chief executive John Blackwood on particular areas of the consultation:

• Rent control and data collection – covering proposals to introduce rent control and collect data on rent levels
• Tenant’s rights – covering proposals to allow tenants to personalise properties and have pets
• Tenancy reform – covering proposals to introduce a winter eviction ban, allow individual tenants to exit a joint tenancy and explore aspects of the PRT regime which aren’t working for the student market

Feedback from members who attended the webinars was very positive, including:

“Thought John’s questions to the ladies were very good and he represented the feelings of private landlords very well.”

“Gave a great insight into what SAL does on our behalf and a fuller understanding of the issues facing us all.” 

“Useful to have an idea of other thoughts to include in our own consultation response.”

Any members who were unable to attend the webinars can watch recordings of the sessions – please email us for the links. We encourage all members to read the consultation paper and, where they have strong views or experiences which are relevant to a particular question, submit a response. It is not necessary to respond to every question; you can focus on those you feel most strongly about. Responses should be submitted online here by 15 April 2022. Please do share your response with us by emailing it to policy@scottishlandlords.com. SAL will be submitting a response to the consultation and we will share this with members well before the response deadline of 15 April 2022.