The Scottish Government

The Review of the Private Rented Sector was announced in Firm Foundations, the discussion document on future housing policy, in October 2007. It has three main aims:

• to undertake a general stock take of the private rented sector (PRS) in Scotland, in order to provide a detailed primary evidence base and to inform the Scottish Government's understanding of the effectiveness of the current legislative and policy regime;
• to look at the role of the PRS in housing low-income families and individuals on benefits, including those presenting as homeless; and
• to consider best practice in relation to strategic engagement between local authorities and the private rented sector; explore options for increasing engagement; and examine ways that advice and support is provided locally to raise standards in the sector.

A range of analytical work was undertaken by the Scottish Government and additional research and analysis was commissioned externally. The review is published in five distinct volumes:

• Volume 1 - Key Findings and Policy Implications
• Volume 2 - Views and Experiences of Tenants in the Private Rented Sector in Scotland
• Volume 3 - Views and Experiences of Landlords in the Private Rented Sector in Scotland
• Volume 4 - Bringing Private Sector Empty Houses into Use
• Volume 5 - Good Practice Resource Pack for Working with Private Landlords

Five corresponding Social Research publications summarise the aims, methods of research used, findings and conclusions of each of the main reports:

• Review of the Private Rented Sector: Key Findings and Policy Implications: Executive Summary
• Views and Experiences of Tenants in the Private Rented Sector
• Views and Experiences of Landlords in the Private Rented Sector
• Bringing Private Sector Empty Houses in to Use
• Good Practice Resource Pack for Working with the Private Rented Sector