New safety rules for landlords in Scotland have been labelled as “daft” and “a shambles” by a leading Edinburgh letting agent.

Jonathan Gordon, MD of Clan Gordon letting agents (main picture), which manages more than 650 rental properties in the city, describes the latest regulations as having “major flaws”.

The Scottish Government’s Repairing Standard Guidance sets out requirements for landlords in the PRS, with the latest changes due to become law on 1 March.

Unworkable

The controversy comes as a move by Labour if it wins power to extend ‘Awaab’s Law’ in England to private as well as social landlords, has been attacked.

Gordon says two of the proposed rules in Scotland – to replace lead water pipes and install electrical safety equipment – are unworkable and rushed.

Clan Gordon is now lobbying the Scottish Government to push back the deadline so landlords can get clarity on the rules.

‘Just daft’

Gordon told The Neg that for the Government to put the new rules on lead in water on landlords was “just daft”.

He says that with 400,000 let properties in Scotland, more than half in tenement blocks, and many with lead pipes and joints, that “replacing these will be a logistical nightmare”.

 Surely the Scottish Government must accept that this is impossible to achieve in a few weeks?”

“No matter what process we follow to try and ensure clients’ properties are compliant with the standard, surely the Scottish Government must accept that this is impossible to achieve in a few weeks?”

“It is a shambles,” he says.

Flawed

The new guidance also compels landlords to install one or more electrical RCDs in properties to reduce the risk of electrocution and fire.

Gordon says that his agency has 236 properties to check, and they are faced with doing this more than once.

“In the meantime, we will continue to lobby government on these flawed and unworkable rules,” he says.