Current status: Answered by Stewart Maxwell on 3 March 2008
To ask the Scottish Executive how many rented properties are operated by registered private landlords and, of these, how many meet the (a) Tolerable Standard and (b) Scottish Housing Quality Standard.
The latest figures for landlord registration show that the number of applications by landlords for registration is approximately 108,000, while the number of privately rented dwellings they operate is approximately 160,000. Landlords and agents are required to register in each authority where they own or manage property, so these figures include multiple registrations for some individuals or organisations.
The landlord registration system does not collect information on whether properties meet the Tolerable Standard or the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SQHS). However, on the basis of the sampling carried out by the Scottish House Condition Survey we estimate that at least 96% of privately rented properties meet the Tolerable Standard and between 13% and 25% meet the SHQS. There is no legal requirement for privately rented houses to meet the SHQS. However, since September 2007 private landlords have been required to ensure that their properties meet the Repairing Standard. If a landlord fails to comply with a Repairing Standard enforcement order, the local authority must take this into account when determining whether the landlord is fit and proper to let property.