Rent (Scotland) Act 1984

87 Punishment of attempts to obtain from prospective tenants excessive prices for furniture. S

(1)Any person who, in connection with the proposed grant, renewal, continuance or assignation of a protected tenancy on terms which require the purchase of furniture,—

(a)offers the furniture at a price which he knows or ought to know is unreasonably high, or otherwise seeks to obtain such a price for the furniture, or

(b)fails to furnish, to any person seeking to obtain or retain accommodation whom he provides with particulars of the tenancy, a written inventory of the furniture, specifying the price sought for each item,

shall be liable to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.

(2)Where a local authority have reasonable grounds for suspecting that an offence under subsection (1)(a) above has been committed with respect to a protected tenancy or proposed protected tenancy of a dwelling-house, they may give notice to the person entitled to possession of the dwelling-house or his agent that, on such date as may be specified in the notice, which shall not to be earlier than 24 hours after the giving of the notice or, if the dwelling-house is unoccupied, than the expiry of such period after the giving of the notice as may be reasonable in the circumstances, facilities will be required for entry to the dwelling-house and inspection of the furniture therein.

(3)A notice under this section may be given by post.

(4)Where a notice is given under this section any person authorised by the local authority may avail himself of any facilities for such entry and inspection as are referred to in subsection (2) above which are provided on the specified date but shall, if so required, produce some duly authenticated document showing that he is authorised by the local authority.

(5)If it is shown to the satisfaction of the sheriff or to a justice having jurisdiction in the place where the dwelling-house is situated, on a sworn statement in writing, that a person required to give facilities under this section has failed to give them, the sheriff or justice may, by warrant under his hand, empower the local authority, by any person authorised by them, to enter the dwelling-house in question, if need be by force, and inspect the furniture therein.

(6)A person empowered by or under the foregoing provisions of this section to enter a dwelling-house may take with him such other persons as may be necessary and, if the dwelling-house is unoccupied, shall leave it as effectively secured against trespassers as he found it.

(7)Any person who wilfully obstructs a person acting in pursuance of a warrant issued under subsection (5) above shall be liable to a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.