Housing (Scotland) Act 1987

181 Effect of control order in relation to furniture in furnished lettings

(1) Subject to this section, if on the date on which a control order comes into force there is any furniture in the house which a resident in the house has the right to use in consideration of periodical payments to the dispossessed proprietor (whether included in the rent payable by the resident or not), the right to possession of the furniture shall, on that date and as against all persons other than the resident, vest in the local authority and remain vested in the authority while the control order remains in force.

(2) The local authority may, on the application in writing of the person owning any furniture to which subsection (1) applies, by notice served on that person not less than 2 weeks before the notice takes effect, renounce the right to possession of the furniture conferred by subsection (1).

(3) In respect of the period during which the local authority have the right to possession of any furniture in pursuance of subsection (1), the authority shall be liable to pay to the dispossessed proprietor compensation in respect of the use of any furniture the right to possession of which vests under that subsection at such rate as the parties may agree or as may be determined by the rent assessment committee constituted under section 44 of the [1984 c. 58.] Rent (Scotland) Act 1984 or under any corresponding enactment repealed by that Act for the area in which the house is situated.

(4) If the local authority's right to possession of any furniture conferred by subsection (1) is a right exercisable as against more than one person interested in the furniture, any such person may apply to the sheriff for an adjustment of the rights and liabilities of those persons as regards the furniture, and the sheriff may make an order for any such adjustment of rights and liabilities either unconditionally or subject to such terms and conditions (including terms or conditions with respect to the payment of money by any party to the proceedings to any other party to the proceedings by way of compensation, damages or otherwise) as he thinks just and equitable.

(5) Compensation due under this section—

(a) shall be payable by quarterly instalments, the first instalment being payable 3 months after the date when the control order comes into force;

(b) is to be considered as accruing due from day to day and shall be apportionable in respect of time accordingly.

(6) In this Part "dispossessed proprietor" means the person by whom the rents or other periodical payments to which a local authority become entitled on the coming into force of a control order would have been receivable but for the making of the control order, and the successors in title of that person; and in this section "furniture" includes fittings and other articles.