An outspoken Green politician wants Scotland to go down the same anti-landlord route as England in terms of eviction powers.
Maggie Chapman, a Green Member of the Scottish Parliament, is tabling amendments to strengthen renter protections during the final stage of the Housing (Scotland) Bill next week.
She says landlords should not be allowed to evict renters for at least the first 12 months of their tenancy, and that renters should also get a longer notice period of four months. Renters currently have between one- and three-months’ notice, depending on how long they have lived in the property.
In a question in the Scottish Parliament she has said: “A renter moving into their new home today will have no clear sense of how long they can stay before they could be kicked out by their landlord. They may have as little as 4 weeks notice. And a maximum of 3 months.
“Sarah, James and their two children were evicted from their home in Inverness. They were unable to find a suitable home in their 3 months notice. A family of four forced into a cramped 1-bedroom flat. It was so much smaller than what they needed.
“Renters in England will soon be protected from eviction on the most common grounds for the first 12 months of their tenancy and get a longer notice period. But that right does not currently exist in Scotland.
“With the Housing Bill next week, we can fix this. So, will the First Minister commit to supporting Green amendments that ensure Scotland does not fall behind, and improve protections from eviction for Scots renters?”
This article is taken from Landlord Today