Edinburgh South Lib Dems Celebrate Tenant Deposit Victory

5.59.49pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 24th Sep 2009

After months of campaigning the Liberal Democrat Team in Edinburgh South has welcomed the Scottish Government's introduction of a tenancy deposit scheme.

Commenting at the Scottish Parliament Edinburgh South MSP Mike Pringle said, "The deposits of those living in private rented accommodation in Scotland have not, until now, been protected by the law. I am pleased that Ministers have listened to my concerns and finally announced a Tenancy Deposit Protection Scheme. It's high time that the amount that landlords can charge for deposits was regulated and that action will be taken to stop landlords unfairly withholding deposits from tenants who have done nothing wrong. It is not right that individuals and families already struggling in the current financial crisis can be held to ransom by unscrupulous landlords who don't return their deposits."

The issue of the non return of deposits has long been a major issue amongst the students and young people who make up the greater part of the private rented tenants of the communities of south Edinburgh.

Westminster Spokesperson Fred Mackintosh, said. " A national tenancy deposit scheme was part of the Liberal Democrat manifesto in 2007. It is great news for tenants that the scheme will now finally be introduced. Once the law is in place landlords will have to hand over the deposit in full to the scheme and if a dispute arises then the amount will be held until the dispute resolution service or courts make a judgement."