SP Paper 916 (Web)
Contents
Report
Subordinate Legislation
Remit and membership
Remit:
To consider and report on infrastructure, capital investment, transport, Scottish Water, and other matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities; and matters relating to housing and digital infrastructure.
Membership:
Jim Eadie (Convener)
Adam Ingram (Deputy Convener)
Clare Adamson
Alex Johnstone
Mike MacKenzie
Siobhan McMahon
David Stewart
Subordinate Legislation
Subordinate Legislation
The Committee reports to the Parliament as follows—
1. On 18 January 2016, the Letting Agent Code of Practice (Scotland) Regulations 2016 [draft] was laid before Parliament and was subject to affirmative resolution procedure.
Purpose of the instrument
2. The instrument brings into force, under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014, the Letting Agent Code of Practice, making clear the standards of practice those carrying out letting agency work must meet. It makes provision about-
(a) the standards of practice of persons who carry out letting agency work;
(b) the handling of tenants' and landlords' money by those persons; and
(c) the professional indemnity arrangements to be kept in place by those persons.
3. The Scottish Government states that the Code will help to make sure good standards of practice are consistently applied across the letting industry and will provide tenants, landlords and the Scottish Ministers with an effective way to challenge poor practice.
Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee consideration
4. The Delegated Powers and Law Reform (DPLR) Committee considered the instrument at its meeting on 26 January 2016 and agreed not to draw the Parliament’s attention to the instrument on any grounds within its remit. The DPLR report can be found at the following link:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/96086.aspx
Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee consideration
5. At its meeting on 10 February 2016, the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee took evidence on this instrument from Margaret Burgess, Minister for Housing and Welfare.
6. The Minister subsequently moved the following motion—
S4M-15460—That the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee recommends that the Letting Agent Code of Practice (Scotland) Regulations 2016 [draft] be approved.
7. The Committee agreed the motion without division.
8. The Official Report of the meeting will be available at the following page from 12 February 2016:
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/parliamentarybusiness/CurrentCommittees/29839.aspx
Recommendation
9. The Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee recommends to Parliament that it approves the draft instrument.
Any links to external websites in this report were working correctly at the time of publication. However, the Scottish Parliament cannot accept responsibility for content on external websites.
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