Consultation on a draft statutory code of practice and training requirements for letting agents in Scotland: analysis of consultation responses

2. Overview of Responses

Introduction

2.1 This chapter explores the profile of respondents to the consultation. It also explains the respondent categories used for analysis.

Profile of respondents

2.2 A total of 92 responses were received to the consultation. This included 26 individual respondents and 66 organisational respondents. There were no campaign responses.

2.3 Working with the Scottish Government, we agreed six broad respondent categories. On the Respondent Information Form (RIF), respondents had identified as either individuals or organisations, and provided their contact details. Respondents were not asked to identify with a particular respondent category on the RIF.

2.4 The Scottish Government wished to see both individual and organisational respondents categorised based on their broad area of interest. Organisations were allocated to the appropriate respondent category, based on the nature of their organisation. Most individuals (20) were treated as members of the public, as it was not possible to identify a definitive area of interest from their response. However, a small number of individual respondents (six) were categorised as letting agents as they indicated that this was their profession within their response. Within the qualitative analysis, where relevant, we have sought to draw out any differences in views between letting agent organisations, and individual letting agents.

2.5 The 'other' group includes estates, academics, equality organisations and national housing schemes and panels.

2.6 Of the 92 responses, 81 gave permission for their response to be published by the Scottish Government. These full responses can also be viewed here: https://consult.scotland.gov.uk/better-homes-division/lettingagentconsultation. Annex 2 of this report is a list of organisational respondents that gave permission for their response to be published.