More than 200 landlords fail to comply with deposit rules

More than 200 landlords fail to comply with deposit rules

More than 200 landlords have flouted a law intended to protect tenants’ deposits in the past 18 months.

SafeDeposits Scotland, a government-approved scheme, looked at decisions of the Housing and Property Chamber First-tier Tribunal, finding that around £186,657 had been paid out to tenants because of non-compliance.

The single greatest award was made to a tenant renting a property in Edinburgh. In that case, the landlord was ordered to pay £3,937 while the lowest payout was £50, for a property in Hamilton.

Properties in Glasgow accounted for the greatest number of cases, at 38.

Victoria Smith, of SafeDeposits Scotland, said: “We believe that the overwhelming majority of landlords operate within the rules, but the findings from our research into the first 18 months of the First-tier Tribunal demonstrates that some don’t.”

Housing minister Kevin Stewart said: “We fully expect all landlords to protect tenancy deposits and seek legal advice if they are not clear on the rules.”

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