Glasgow Scottish National Party MSP Bob Doris has welcomed regulations published by the Scottish Government which aim to prevent unscrupulous landlords and letting agents from helping themselves to tenant deposits. Mr Doris, who has long campaigned for the rules to be tightened up, described the move as a "long overdue victory".

Figures reveal that up to 11,000 people in Scotland have deposits wrongly withheld every year, to the tune of £3.6 million. The tenancy deposit scheme will be a free and independent dispute resolution service which will help to achieve a fair outcome for both tenant and landlord.

Speaking in the Maryhill area of Glasgow, where a sizeable student population live in private rented accommodation, Mr Doris said: "This has been a huge problem in Glasgow for many years, particularly amongst the city's student population. I have had many constituents coming to me with the same story about money being clawed back for the most spurious of excuses. "Whilst a property is let out there is an onus on the tenant to respect the landlord's property but all too often the tenant fulfils their obligations and it is the landlord who breaks trust by withholding deposit money at the last minute. It is an unacceptable practise and it can result in serious financial difficulties for people moving between rented properties. The deposit from the old tenancy is nearly always needed to fund a new tenancy.

"The new Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations will introduce a compulsory scheme to safeguard rent deposits in March this year. This Government is taking serious action against unregistered and unscrupulous landlords in a variety of ways. The cowboys are being closed in on but as ever, those who run their businesses legitimately will welcome this action as a form of government support. The landlords who are worthy of operating in Glasgow have nothing to fear and everything to gain as new regulations help to improve confidence in the private rented sector."