Earlier this month, the First Minister outlined the Scottish Government’s plans for the final year of this parliamentary term.

The wide-ranging legislative programme will see eight new bills introduced, with measures included to strengthen the law on harassment and sexual offending; increase security for private tenants, protecting against excessive rents; and implement the recommendations made by the Infant Cremation Commission.

With regards to private tenants, the Scottish Government intends to introduce a Private Tenancies Bill, which it says will increase security of tenure for tenants while providing appropriate safeguards for landlords, lenders and investors.

This is part of the Scottish Government’s broader approach to reforming the private rented sector to make it a more professionally managed and better regulated sector, that provides good quality homes, and is attractive to those who want to live, work and invest in it.

Specifically, the Bill will:

• Introduce a Scottish Private Rented Tenancy to replace the current Assured system.
• Remove the ‘no-fault’ ground for repossession, meaning a landlord can no longer ask a tenant to leave simply because the fixed-term has ended.
• Provide comprehensive and robust grounds for repossession that will allow landlords to regain possession in specified circumstances.
• Provide more predictable rents and protection for tenants against excessive rent increases, including the ability to introduce local rent controls for rent pressure areas.
• Create a more streamlined, clearer to understand tenancy system that is fit for the modern private rented sector.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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