The University of Strathclyde Law Clinic has received a £2,880 funding award from SafeDeposits Scotland Trust for a project to educate tenants and homeowners in Glasgow and the surrounding areas.

The ‘Housing Advice Under One Roof’ initiative will research the Housing & Property Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal, a new forum created to adjudicate upon private-sector housing disputes in Scotland (such as landlord-tenant disputes, tenancy deposits, repairs, evictions, and factoring), and provide advice for tenants and homeowners on how to engage with it.

Funding from the SafeDeposits Scotland Trust will help facilitate the creation of accessible and informative resources, such as leaflets and helpful guides. These will empower the public to access justice in this complex area. It will also support the development of training materials for Law Clinic staff and student volunteers.

The project will be undertaken by Liam McKay and Rebecca Farquhar, law students and volunteers at the student-run Law Clinic.

Mr McKay said: “The Law Clinic would like to thank the SafeDeposits Scotland Trust for its support of this project which will help the Law Clinic in supporting clients and increase the public’s knowledge of how they can seek redress for housing issues.”

The Trust is a grant-giving charity designed to help improve Scotland’s private rented sector (PRS). It promotes and facilitates education, training and best practice within the sector by funding projects that provide tangible benefits to landlords, letting agents and tenants alike.

To date, the Trust has provided £168,029 in funding support for organisations in Scotland that meet the charity’s aims.

The Trust is also calling for new applications for funding and groups undertaking projects are being urged to submit their bids before the deadline on Friday 31 August 2018.

John Duff, chairman of SafeDeposits Scotland Trust, said: “The application for funding from the University of Strathclyde Law Clinic really stood out to us as they had a clear idea of how to make a difference. The First-tier Tribunal is a new and powerful addition to the private rented sector and Housing Advice Under One Roof will make sure that tenants and landlords across Glasgow and the West of Scotland know how to get the most from it.

“We are always looking for exciting and innovative suggestions, proposals and projects and I’d encourage any organisation or charity that educates and informs tenants, landlords or agents within the PRS to apply ahead of the August deadline. The application form can be downloaded from the website and submitted directly to the Trust. Awards will be announced in shortly afterwards.

“We’re proud to have funded many inspiring initiatives that will help landlords, letting agents and tenants across Scotland to navigate the often-complicated rental landscape, improving standards and reducing conflicts.”

Organisations wishing to apply for support must submit their bids online by 5pm on Friday 31 August 2018.