Cairn Properties has been named as the worst letting agent of the year by the SRC. The company is the recipient of this year’s Student Letting Agents Prize, also known as the SLAP award. The annual awards were set up to identify problem landlords in the west end.
Struan Campbell, the Vice-President of the SRC (Student Support), said Cairn Properties had developed a very bad reputation over the course of the year.
He explained: “Cairn repeatedly failed to take responsibility over repairs and had an aggressive attitude to students who sought help from advice agencies or the HMO Unit.”
The main aims of the SLAPs are to provide students with reliable information about landlords’ services and to make sure the latter improve their practice in dealing with students’ accommodation. Upon the awards is written: “Cash Value 0.05p. Providing students with the truth about your services: priceless.”
The SLAP’s panel of judges was made up of residents and representatives from the SRC and Hillhead Community Council. The panel was chaired by Struan Campbell, who was not allowed to vote.
The SRC Advice Centre examined its record of complaints against landlords for the year and identified themes of bad conduct in their report; the judges then examined each case in the report and decided on the worst landlord and the case that posed the greatest danger to student welfare.
Helen Speirs, the SRC’s Senior Advice, Policy and Training Officer, said that the SRC usually doesn’t receive complaints about accommodation unless they are very serious.
She said: “We don’t tend to get complaints from students unless they’re finding it difficult to progress matters on their own. It concerns us that some landlords and letting agents seem to be playing fast and loose with tenants’ rights, and we feel that it’s reflective of a much bigger problem.”
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Countrywide Letting, Guardian Property, Kohli Properties, Scottaslands and Thistle Property Services also received nominations for a SLAP. Last year’s winner, Grant Management, was not nominated this year due to huge improvements that lead to a decrease in the number of complaints by students.
Struan Campbell warned that students were vulnerable to dishonest landlords and that the poor running of student accommodation should be well publicised.
He said: “There is a problem with rogue landlords in Glasgow who are out to make a quick buck and don’t treat students with respect. Students have a right to know who is a bad landlord and why.”
By George Binning
