financial reasons, GWSF has expressed council in Scotland will be able to apply the view that, given the right for the additional powers. information, tenants would be able to tell the difference between a move 8 Privately owned housing – which was in their interests and one local authority powers where the position was much more doubtful and the justification for the Missing share: The Act amends the move seems less clear. Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 to allow local authorities to pay a missing share 7 Private rented housing – when the majority of owners in a block Enhanced Enforcement Areas have agreed to carry out repair or maintenance work and one or more of Following an amendment supported by the owners is unable or unwilling to pay the Scottish Government at Stage their share of the costs, or owners Three of the Bill, the Act places a cannot be identified or found. requirement on the Scottish Government to introduce, through Local authority repayment charges: regulations, a scheme enabling local The Act replaces the current fixed authorities to apply for additional repayment charge period with a powers to set up 'Enhanced flexible period of between five and 30 Enforcement Areas' to tackle areas years, subject to a right of appeal to the blighted by poor private rented housing. court. It also enables repayment charges to be applied to the owners of The additional powers can be applied commercial property (such as shops) in for where the council considers that housing blocks. there is too much private rented housing which is in poor condition, overcrowded The Act RSL repayment charges: or plagued by anti social behaviour. proposes, through future regulations, to give RSLs the power to impose Whilst the details of the additional repayment charges, i.e. to recover costs powers are yet to be consulted on, the from private owners, subject to a right of Act states that the powers will include appeal to the court. The Scottish checks (e.g. criminal record checks) on Government must consult on the people applying to register as a private proposal before any regulations are landlord, and powers to inspect introduced. individual property. Work notices: The Act amends the GWSF very much welcomes the new 2006 Act to create an additional ground powers. The impetus for them has come for a local authority to issue a work primarily from concerns over the powers notice namely that the work is needed – available to tackle poor private rented to improve the safety or security of any housing in Govanhill, though any
financial reasons, GWSF has expressed the view that, given the right information, tenants would be able to tell the difference between a move which was in their interests and one where the position was much more doubtful and the justification for the move seems less clear. 7 Private rented housing – Enhanced Enforcement Areas Following an amendment supported by the Scottish Government at Stage Three of the Bill, the Act places a requirement on the Scottish Government to introduce, through regulations, a scheme enabling local authorities to apply for additional powers to set up 'Enhanced Enforcement Areas' to tackle areas blighted by poor private rented housing. The additional powers can be applied for where the council considers that there is too much private rented housing which is in poor condition, overcrowded or plagued by anti social behaviour. Whilst the details of the additional powers are yet to be consulted on, the Act states that the powers will include checks (e.g. criminal record checks) on people applying to register as a private landlord, and powers to inspect individual property. GWSF very much welcomes the new powers. The impetus for them has come primarily from concerns over the powers available to tackle poor private rented housing in Govanhill, though any council in Scotland will be able to apply for the additional powers. 8 Privately owned housing – local authority powers Missing share: The Act amends the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 to allow local authorities to pay a missing share when the majority of owners in a block have agreed to carry out repair or maintenance work and one or more of the owners is unable or unwilling to pay their share of the costs, or owners cannot be identified or found. Local authority repayment charges: The Act replaces the current fixed repayment charge period with a flexible period of between five and 30 years, subject to a right of appeal to the court. It also enables repayment charges to be applied to the owners of commercial property (such as shops) in housing blocks. RSL repayment charges: The Act proposes, through future regulations, to give RSLs the power to impose repayment charges, i.e. to recover costs from private owners, subject to a right of appeal to the court. The Scottish Government must consult on the proposal before any regulations are introduced. Work notices: The Act amends the 2006 Act to create an additional ground for a local authority to issue a work notice – namely that the work is needed to improve the safety or security of any