David Whitton MSP. Strathkelvin and Bearsden MSP David Whitton has urged the regional MSPs to back proposals by Patricia Ferguson MSP members’ bill at Holyrood which would give homeowners more protection by enforcing new standards of registration and accreditation on factors and property managers in Scotland. The proposals come after the Office of Fair Trading published a report finding significant problems in Scotland’s property management market.
The consultation paper for the proposals to require property factors to register and make provision for an accessible form of dispute resolution between homeowners and property factors can be viewed HERE (pdf). Notable support comes from a range of organisations including the Property Managers Association and Govan Law Centre. The OFT’s full report download : Property managers in Scotland - a market study (pdf)
David Whitton MSP said: “For too long factors have been a law unto themselves. There are many good factors but there are others who seem to see the job as a licence to print money and simply do not communicate with the people they are supposed to work for. I hope that MSPs from across the Chamber will put aside their differences and support proposals to give homeowners more rights.”
The current proposals from the Scottish Government which are simply a voluntary code, may wind up as most voluntary codes go – ineffective and requiring statutory legislation further down the line.
Mr Whitton, commenting on the Scottish Government’s voluntary idea of regulation, said : "The Scottish Government is currently proposing a voluntary scheme but we believe they need to go further and that legislation is required."
The consultation paper for Patricia Ferguson’s bill to require property factors to register and make provision for an accessible form of dispute resolution between homeowners and property factors can be viewed HERE (pdf). Notable support comes from a range of organisations including the Property Managers Association and Govan Law Centre.
Patricia Ferguson MSP launches Bill to regulate property factors
S3M-5872 Patricia Ferguson: Factoring Services : That the Parliament notes that the Office of Fair Trading market study into the property management market found that the market is not working well for consumers in Scotland; welcomes the recent cross-party support for proposals to require property factors to register and to make provision for an accessible form of dispute resolution between homeowners and property factors, and further welcomes this positive progress toward the introduction of legislation to ensure better accountability of property managers for their standards and the services that they provide.
