RLC in Government Consultation
19th January 2010
Further to RLC's participation in talks with Ministers in December, on Monday and Wednesday of this week solicitors from the Scottish Association of Law Centres (SALC), including a representative of RLC, will take part in the consultation process for the Home Owner & Debtor Protection (Scotland) Bill, which is currently going through Parliament.
The new law will improve the rights of mortgage borrowers who face financial difficulties, by forcing banks to call cases in open court. It should also make Protected Trust Deeds more accessible by introducing the possibility of excluding the applicant's principal residence.
SALC and RLC are keen to see the "reasonableness test" retained by the Bill, as originally laid down by the Mortgage Rights (Scotland) Act 2001.
The government has also undertaken to consult us on further forthcoming legislation, including the Family Homes Bill and the new Housing Bill. These should further enhance the protection available for the principal residence as well as improving the rights of tenants in private sector acccommodation whose landlords face mortgage problems.