Source: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2011/14/notes/division/3
Timestamp: 2018-03-23 19:01:40
Document Index: 449124555

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 1', 'art 8', 'art 2', 'art 5', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 2', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 3']

4.The Act is in 5 parts:
Part 1 Registration of Private Landlords amends legislation concerning the registration of private landlords contained in Part 8 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004. This is in relation to:
expanding the criteria of the fit and proper person test;
allowing a local authority to require a criminal record certificate from a landlord in order to verify information;
fees for certain agents;
public access to information on applications not yet determined and persons found not to be fit and proper to act as landlords;
requiring landlord registration numbers in advertisements of properties to let;
an increase in the maximum fine for offences and the ability of a court to impose a ban of up to five years on a convicted landlord;
powers for a local authority to obtain information to enable or assist it to carry out its landlord registration functions, including requiring a letting agent to provide information on properties managed for a landlord;
a requirement for a local authority to take account of guidance on the use of its enforcement powers issued by the Scottish Ministers; and,
requiring the Private Rented Housing Panel to pass information on landlords to local authorities so that their registration status can be checked.
Part 2 Houses in Multiple Occupation makes changes to the legislation concerning HMO licensing in Part 5 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 to:
give Ministers a power to bring by order additional types of multi-occupancy property within the scope of HMO licensing;
give a local authority a power to refuse to consider an application for an HMO licence if it considers that there would be a breach of planning control;
require a local authority to consider whether there has been subdivision of rooms or adaptations resulting in moved water and drainage pipes when considering whether to grant an HMO licence;
give a local authority a power to refuse to grant an HMO licence if it considers that there is overprovision of HMOs in the locality;
increase the maximum fine for offences;
remove a requirement for a local authority to issue a statement of reasons for every HMO licensing decision; and,
require a local authority to take account of guidance issued by the Scottish Ministers on the use of its information gathering powers.
Part 3 Overcrowding Statutory Notices creates new powers to tackle overcrowding in the Private Rented Sector. This is in relation to:
powers for a local authority to serve an overcrowding statutory notice on the landlord of a house which is overcrowded; where it considers that the overcrowding is contributing to or connected with adverse effects on health or wellbeing, or on amenity;
requiring the local authority to provide prescribed information and advice to the occupier of a house when serving an overcrowding statutory notice;
enabling Scottish Ministers to prescribe by order the form of an overcrowding statutory notice, along with the form and content of the prescribed information and advice;
powers for a local authority to obtain information from persons connected to the house to enable it to carry out its functions in connection with overcrowding statutory notices; and,
a requirement for a local authority to take account of guidance issued by the Scottish Ministers on the use of these powers; and,
a requirement for Scottish Ministers to publish a report once every three years on the use and impact of overcrowding statutory notices.
Part 4 Miscellaneous makes changes to the tenancy regime in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, the Rent (Scotland) Act 1984, the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 and the Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974 in order to:
clarify the right to make tenancy charges and the level of such charges;
require a private landlord to issue specified information to a new tenant;
clarify the notices to be served when a landlord seeks possession of a house after a short assured tenancy has reached its contractual end;
allow a private landlord to seek the assistance of the Private Rented Housing Panel in gaining access to a house for purposes related to the Repairing Standard; and
introduce new powers to enable Scottish Ministers to prescribe bodies and types of body which can be exempted from the 20 year limit on residential leases and the right to redeem heritable securities.
Part 5 General sets out general provisions, such as for the making of orders. It also contains definitions, the short title and provisions for commencement of the Act.
Part 2 - Houses in Multiple Occupation
19.The provisions in this Part make amendments to the legislation concerning the licensing of houses in multiple occupation under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 (the “2006 Act”).
Section 13 – Amendment of HMO licensing regime
20.Section 125 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 defines a house in multiple occupation (HMO). Section 13 inserts into section 125(1) a new paragraph (b), which allows Ministers to define in secondary legislation additional categories of multi-occupancy accommodation, specified by type or manner of occupation, as licensable HMOs. Any such category must meet the usual requirement of a licensable HMO that there are three or more occupants being members of more than two families. However, it does not necessarily have to be a house or premises in terms of the 2006 Act, nor does it have to be the only or main residence of the occupants. Before making such an order, the Scottish Ministers must consult relevant persons.
21.Section 13 also inserts new section 129A into the 2006 Act to give a local authority the discretionary power to refuse to consider an application for an HMO licence if it considers that occupation of the accommodation as an HMO would be a breach of planning control. If the applicant subsequently obtains planning permission or a certificate of lawful use or development and makes a further application for a licence within 28 days, no fee may be charged in relation to that application. If an application is refused before an existing licence for the HMO has expired, the existing licence will expire either on its normal expiry date or on a later date that the local authority considers reasonable, given the circumstances.
22.Section 131 of the 2006 Act provides that a local authority may only grant an HMO licence if it considers that the accommodation is suitable or can be made suitable for occupation as an HMO. Section 13(3) inserts new paragraphs (da) and (db) into section 131(2) requiring a local authority, when carrying out this assessment, to consider whether any rooms have been subdivided, and whether any have been adapted where this has resulted in the moving of water and drainage pipes.
23.This section also inserts new section 131A into Part 5 of the 2006 Act to give a local authority the discretionary power to refuse to grant an HMO license if it considers that there is, or that the grant of the licence could result in, overprovision of HMOs in the locality. It is for the local authority to determine the locality. In considering whether to refuse to grant a licence on this ground, the authority must have regard to whether there is an existing HMO licence in effect in respect of the living accommodation, the views of the applicant and any occupants, and any other matters specified by the Scottish Ministers by order. In considering whether there is overprovision, the authority must have regard to the number and capacity of licensed HMOs in the locality, as well as the need for HMO accommodation in the locality and any other matters specified by the Scottish Ministers by order. Before making an order under section 131A, the Scottish Ministers must consult local authorities, representatives of landlords and occupiers, and any other persons or bodies whom they consider appropriate.
Section 14 - Penalties for certain HMO offences
24.In line with the provision outlined above for landlord registration offences, section 14 of the Act gives powers to the Courts to impose tougher penalties for HMO offences by increasing the maximum fine in section 156(1)(a) of the 2006 Act to £50,000.
Section 15 – Statement of reasons for decisions
25.Under the HMO licensing regime a local authority must provide a statement of reasons for an HMO decision. Local authorities have raised concerns that this may cause significant costs, and be unnecessary in many cases. For example, where a licence is granted without any concerns having been raised or identified, an applicant may neither need nor wish reasons. Section 15 therefore amends Part 5 of the 2006 Act at section 158(12)(a) so that a statement of reasons need only be provided when this is requested by any person who receives the decision. The Act outlines the time periods for local authorities to issue the statement of reasons and for the person to request that they be provided. Where such a request is made, reasons must be provided.
Section 16 - Guidance
26.Section 186 of the 2006 Act allows a local authority to require certain people to provide information relating to the land or premises to help it carry out its functions under HMO licensing. Any person who is required to provide such information and fails to do so, or knowingly or recklessly provides false or misleading information, is guilty of an offence with a fine on summary conviction not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale. Section 16 of the Act amends section 163(1) of the 2006 Act to enable the Scottish Ministers to give guidance over the use of the information gathering powers contained in section 186. Such guidance may be used to inform local authorities how best to deal with vulnerable persons who are reluctant or unwilling to provide information for fear of reprisals.
Part 3 – Overcrowding Statutory Notices
27.This Part introduces powers to enable local authorities to deal with overcrowding in the private rented sector.
Section 17 – Overcrowding statutory notice
28.Section 17 gives a local authority the power to serve an overcrowding statutory notice on the landlord of a house which is overcrowded, where the local authority considers that the overcrowding is having an adverse effect on the health or wellbeing of any person or on the amenity of the house or its locality. This will allow enforcement action to be taken in the worst cases of overcrowding in the sector, where it is creating adverse effects for occupants, neighbours and others in the locality. The notice will set out the steps to be taken by the landlord to rectify the situation (that is, to reduce the occupancy level to the maximum permitted by the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987), the period within which the steps must be taken, and any other conditions considered appropriate by the local authority. Section 17(7) allows the Scottish Ministers to prescribe by order the form of an overcrowding statutory notice and such other information to be included in the notice as they see fit, plus the persons who must be given a copy of the notice. Ministers are required to consult local authorities, representatives of landlords and occupiers, and such others as they consider appropriate, before making an order.
Section 18 – Matters to be considered prior to service of an overcrowding statutory notice
29.Section 18 sets out matters which a local authority must consider before serving an overcrowding statutory notice. The authority must assess whether serving the notice is reasonable and proportionate in the circumstances. In so doing, the authority must weigh up the nature of the adverse effect, and the degree to which the overcrowding is contributing or connected to it, as well as the likely effects of serving a notice, and whether there are other means to address the problem. In addition to this assessment of reasonableness and proportionality, the local authority must, in deciding whether to serve a notice, take account of the views of the landlord, occupier and others living in the house and examine the particular circumstances of the occupier and others living in the house. In particular, the authority is required to consider whether the overcrowding is causing homelessness as defined in section 24 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 or whether the service of a notice may have this effect.
Sections 20 to 26 and 28 – Overcrowding: further provisions
31.Sections 20 to 26 and 28 of the Act make further provision about the content and duration of notices and the procedure for making them, outline the appeals procedure and provide that failure by a landlord to comply with a notice will be an offence attracting a fine not exceeding level 5 on the standard scale. They also make provision for variation of notices, though not so as to shorten their duration. A local authority may revoke a notice at any time.
Section 27 – Power to obtain information
32.Section 27 gives a local authority the power to obtain certain information from persons connected to the house to enable it to carry out its functions in connection with overcrowding statutory notices. Any person who is required to provide information and fails to do so, or knowingly or recklessly provides false or misleading information, is guilty of an offence attracting a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale.
Section 30 – Reports
34.Section 30 requires the Scottish Ministers to publish a report every 3 years outlining the number of overcrowding statutory notices issued in each local authority area during the 3 year period and their impact on reducing overcrowding, along with any other measures to reduce overcrowding that have been considered by local authorities. The report must also outline the extent to which overcrowding statutory notices have created homelessness.
Section 38 - Interpretation
49.Section 38 defines various expressions used in the Act.
Section 39 - Ancillary provision
50.Section 39 confers on Ministers a power to make by order such consequential supplementary, incidental, transitional, transitory or saving provision as they consider necessary or expedient for the purposes of, in consequence of, or for the purposes of giving full effect to, any provision of the Act. Such an order may modify any enactment.
Section 40 - Orders
51.Section 40 provides procedural requirements for orders and regulations made under the Act.
Section 41 - Short title and Commencement
52.Section 41 gives the short title of the Act and provides that the provisions of the Act (except sections 38 to 41, which come into force at the beginning of the day following the day on which the Bill receives Royal Assent) will come into force on a date or dates determined by order, made by Ministers.