PRIVATE RENTAL DEPOSITS

Early day motion 1491, tabled 30 June 1998 by Geraint Davies (Labour). Signed by 88 members.

That this House welcomes the publication of evidence on the non-return of rental deposits by the National Association of Citizens' Advice Bureaux in their report, Unsafe Deposit; notes that over 600,000 tenants taking up private tenancies in 1996-97 paid a deposit to their landlord, and that the average amount paid was ú409, indicating that some ú240 million was paid in rental deposits; and also notes that a NACAB survey in 82 local authorities showed that 48 per cent. of those having rented accommodation in the last five years had had their deposit unreasonably withheld and only one in six of those had been successful in getting their money back.

Signatures by party: Labour 52, Liberal Democrat 21, Conservative 8, Labour/Co-operative 4, Plaid Cymru 2, Scottish National Party 1.