Structure of the Act Scottish secure tenancy: rent arrears pre-action requirements
184.Section 155 amends section 14 of, and inserts new section 14A in, the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. It requires landlords to comply with certain pre-action requirements (where the tenancy is a Scottish Secure Tenancy), before raising proceedings for recovery of possession in all cases which include the ground that rent lawfully due from the tenant has not been paid.
185.New section 14(2A) requires the landlord to comply with pre-action requirements before sending a pre-action notice to the tenant. Before the proceedings commence, the landlord must confirm to the court (in the form prescribed by Scottish Ministers in regulations) that the pre-action requirements have been complied with. The pre-action notice to the tenant must also specify the steps the landlord has taken to comply with the pre-action requirements.
186.The pre-action requirements are set out in new section 14A of the 2001 Act, inserted by section 155(b). They are listed in subsections (2) to (7). Subsection (8) requires landlords to have regard to any guidance issued by Scottish Ministers in complying with the pre-action requirements, and subsection (9) allows Ministers to make further provision about the pre-action requirements by order.