The Scottish Association of Landlords has hit back at the suggestion that landlords should report student tenants who leave their property to their respective universities. 

Chief Executive John Blackwood signalled the laws that prohibit private landlords from monitoring the behaviour or movements of their tenants and reminded universities that it is not the responsibility of landlords to enforce campus regulations.

Mr Blackwood said: “All private landlords in Scotland must obey the law but it is not their responsibility to enforce the guidelines or policies of educational establishments or workplaces."

He added: "Any SAL member who has any queries about their responsibilities should contact our helpline for more information.”

READ MORE: University of Aberdeen calls on landlords to report students breaching rules

It comes after some Universities, including the University of Aberdeen, told students that they were in contact with landlords to ensure any breaches of national guidelines and restrictions could be suitably investigated.

A statement addressed to students at the University of Aberdeen read:

“We are in contact with landlords and have asked that any incidents of a breach of our Covid Campus Pledge and Guidelines and the national guidelines are reported to the University, to enable the matter to be investigated in the usual way.” 

The University has since stated: "We work closely with private sector accommodation providers - excluding letting agencies - and following discussion with police after breaches on Saturday night which took place in private halls, we agreed to communicate to our students the importance of following the rules, regardless of where they live.

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“We are in regular contact with our accommodation partners as a matter of course through our usual channels, where issues related to student behaviour are regularly discussed.”

The University has also indicated that their contact with private landlords only applies to mass accommodation providers, and not private landlords.