Scottish Housing Minister Speaks Out Against Bedroom Tax
20th March 2013
From Scottish Government webiste: www.scotland.gov.uk
Landlords should consider all possible options and use all reasonable means to prevent evictions of housing tenants struggling to pay rent due to the bedroom tax, Housing Minister Margaret Burgess said today.
The Scottish Government has called for the UK Government’s under occupancy measures, that will cut housing benefit for those deemed to have a spare room, to be scrapped.
However, the policy remains set to come into force in April, and the Scottish Government has already made extra funding available to help provide advice and support for those who will ...
Renfrewshire Law Centre Annual Report 2012
19th March 2013
Click the image for the latest Annual Report...
New Welfare Benefits Rates from April 2013
4th March 2013
Please click here to see new welfare benefits rates from April 2013
Petition against Bedroom Tax Evictions
8th February 2013
The UK Government is introducing changes to Housing Benefit which will cause financial hardship to many people. The so-called 'Bedroom Tax' will penalise tenants deemed to have 'spare' rooms in their home, or deemed not to be making appropriate use of available space, e.g. by making children share bedrooms. Yet the Government has not made any serious commitment to improving the availability of affordable social sector rented accommodation so that people may 'downsize' where appropriate. Please sign the online petition against the Bedroom Tax, submitted by Mike Dailly of Govan Law Centre: Click here to link to Petition.
RLC Client Stats 2012
1st February 2013
Click here to link to the stats
RLC at Scottish Eviction Conference
5th December 2012
The Carrington Dean Group held a conference on Monday 3rd December to debate recent changes to the law of eviction & repossession in Scotland. The full event was live streamed and is now available to watch on video. The sessions are divided
Making a claim for compensation against the council
14th November 2012
Renfrewshire Council has changed thw ay it handles claims. If you experience damage, loss or harm in relation to yourself or your belongings, you may wish to make a claim for compensation against the council.
There are two ways in which you can proceed with a claim. One option is to claim through your own insurer and the other option is to claim directly against the council. Both these options are explained below. You should read both options and decide which is best for you.
Claiming through your own insurers:
If you make a claim through your own insurer, your ...
Questionable Car Parking Schemes in Renfrewshire
5th November 2012
It has come to the attention of Renfrewshire Law Centre that certain private companies are operating profit-making, highly questionable and potentially illegal money making schemes at various car parks in Renfrewshire. These include apparently free customer car parks at shops and even patient/visitor car parking facilities at NHS premises.
This kind of scheme typically involves issuing a ‘Charge Notice’ or similar, which is attached to your car or left under your windscreen wiper. This kind of Charge Notice is designed to look like it has been issued by an official organisation, whereas in fact it is issued by a ...
Property Factors Code Becomes Law
19th October 2012
The Scottish Government’s ‘Code of Conduct for Property Factors’ (published in implementation of section 14 of the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011) came into force on 1 October 2012.
The Code sets out minimum standards of practice for registered property factors. Registered property factors are legally required to comply with the Code. The three main elements of the Act are:—
- The Code
- Registration Scheme
- Dispute Resolution before the Homeowner Housing Panel
Operating as a factor in Scotland without registration is a criminal offence.
Property factors include private businesses, local authorities and housing associations, and the Act may even encompass ...
Scottish Secure Tenancies to Change from 1 August 2012
25th July 2012
As of 1st August 2012, the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 makes important changes to Scottish local authority and housing association tenancies (so-called ‘Scottish Secure tenancies’) as regulated to the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001.
s16 of the 2001 Act is amended by s153 of the 2010 Act
- s16 (5)(a) no longer applies in rent arrears cases (cases where the ground for eviction includes arrears). Thus, decree no longer terminates the tenancy. The tenancy is only terminated if the landlord recovers possession in pursuance of the decree (s16 (5A)(a)(b).
- The decree must specify a prescribed period for implementation ...