Law School Housing Mediation Project
Thank you for visiting our Housing Mediation Project page. The project ran from 2018-2022 thanks to a grant from SafeDeposits Scotland Trust.
We may still be able to consider your case under the Mediation Clinic and would invite you to get in touch via mediationclinic@strath.ac.uk.
The project worked hard to promote early resolution within the housing sector, with a particular focus on private rented property. The aim of the project was to offer landlords, tenants and agents a cost-effective, pragmatic and less stressful means of resolving their disputes consensually while helping them preserve relationships. All of this contributes to good practice in the sector and reduces the likelihood of evictions with their attendant social cost. The pandemic only heightened the need for such a service.
This Project provided the following Mediation Services for:
- Private rented sector landlords and tenants as an informal alterative to the work of the Housing and Property Chamber
- Landlords and tenants using a tenancy deposit scheme, who have a dispute about a deposit which cannot be resolved by the scheme's dispute resolution service
- Other disputes related to Housing, such as factoring disputes involving tenanted properties and disputes between tenants and letting agents.
Case Study
A landlord had been experiencing issues with a tenant over payment of rent for a number of years. The landlord had not been able to make contact with the tenant and was considering an application to the Housing and Property Chamber to resolve the matter.
Mediation allowed the landlord to hear of the tenant’s difficulties (medical and bereavement). Both parties had made assumptions prior to mediation: the tenant that the landlord was simply seeking eviction, and the landlord that the tenant would make excuses or be unable to make payment. The mediation allowed a confidential and safe space for a full and frank conversation about the amount owing, the tenant’s ability to pay and ways of working together to prevent the same situation recurring. A full settlement was reached regarding payment and the relationship between landlord and tenant began to recover.
Useful Housing Resources for Landlords and Tenants
Law Clinic Housing Law Resources
Scottish Government (Housing, Local Services)
Scottish Government Renting and your rights during Covid-19 if you have a private landlord
Housing and Property Chamber, First-Tier Tribunal for Scotland
Scottish Association of Landlords
Housing and Property Chamber, First-Tier Tribunal for Scotland
Glasgow City Council (Anti-Social Behaviour, Mediation Services and Community Relations)
Covid-19: Guidance for Private Landlords and Letting Agents
Shelter Scotland: Information for Landlords
UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence
Mediation Clinic YouTube channel
The project is part of the Mediation Clinic at University of Strathclyde and is funded by SafeDeposits Charitable Trust.
For further information, please contact:
Pauline McKay, Housing Mediation Development Worker at: pauline.mckay@strath.ac.uk or complete our enquiry form.
