Only 4% of tenants take their landlords to a tribunal
As England prepares to lean heavily on tribunals to stop landlords raising rents, new research in Scotland shows few use the system.
Tenants in Scotland who are unhappy with their landlord are not using a tribunal set up to help them with disputes, new analysis reveals.
Also, the Housing and Property Tribunal is not commonly approached by renters facing problems with their homes.
New research by the SafeDeposits Scotland Charitable Trust shows that only a small number of tenants have taken their case to the tribunal. Its research may be of interest to Labour’s housing ministers in England, where plans in the Renters’ Rights Bill will see tribunals as key plank to settle rent disputes.
Just 4%
A survey of 1,000 private renters by the trust, which works to advance education about housing rights in the private rented sector, found that just 4% of tenants with an issue used the tribunal.
According to the data, 88% of tenants facing problems with their property reported it to their landlord or letting agent, with most cases (85%) being fully or partially addressed. However, 15% said the response from their landlord or agent was not acceptable.
And among all tenants responding to the survey, 45% said they did not know where to turn in such situations.
It is worrying that so many tenants do not know where to turn.”
Dr Jennifer Harris, Head of Policy at SafeDeposits Scotland, says: “The vast majority of landlords and agents are responding positively where problems arise.
“However, it is worrying that so many tenants do not know where to turn when landlords fail to properly address their concerns.
“Tenants need to be empowered to challenge bad practice in the sector. This can only be achieved by ensuring they fully understand where to take complaints to when they have them. More needs to be done to ensure they have this vital information.”
On the tribunal’s website a message reads: “The tribunal administration are currently receiving a high volume of applications and correspondence which may cause waiting times to extend.
“We are working as quickly as possible to ensure applications are processed timeously.”
Main picture credit: Scottish Courts and Tribunal Service.
