Thursday 30 June 2016

Launch of City-wide Private Rented Tenants Project for Glasgow

Govan Law Centre is delighted to announce the creation of a new specialist project for private rented sector tenants across Glasgow with an award of £454,780 from the Big Lottery Fund.

Big Lottery Fund Scotland Chair, Maureen McGinn, said: “I am delighted that Govan Law Centre is one of 60 groups sharing in our latest grants totalling over £17 million . This is life changing money which will support people and families facing challenging circumstances and I wish Govan Law Centre every success as it goes on to develop and expand this valuable project.”

GLC's Principal Solicitor Mike Dailly said: "The grant from the Big Lottery Fund Investing in Communities Programme provides Govan Law Centre with the vital resources to set up our city wide Private Rented Sector (PRS) Tenants Project and a dedicated team which will work on behalf of Private Rented Sector Tenants who are at risk of homelessness through the actions of their landlord or letting agency".
"This comes at a time when the private rented sector has doubled since 2001 and where PRS households make up 15% of all households in Scotland.  It is also a time of legislative change with the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 in the process of being implemented; the new act has the potential to make PRS tenancies more insecure". 
GLC's Prevention of Homeless Senior Manager Alistair Sharp said: "GLC’s Big Lottery Funded PRS research presented the voice of tenants living in the private rented sector in Glasgow and revealed that many feel Powerless with no expectation, choice or security; a private rented sector where a tenant’s right to a safe, secure, maintained and affordable home are too often ignored by letting agencies and landlords".

"We will fight for tenants’ rights and provide financial inclusion and capability solutions that ensure the tenants voice is heard and that their rights as tenants are not ignored and will ensure tenants are empowered, are secure, are able to choose, can expect to live in a safe, well maintained, secure and affordable home and that Govan Law Centres Private Rented Sector Project dedicated city wide team will fight for them and with them to secure their rights".
The new project creates four new posts: full details of how to apply for these posts is set out below:

 
 
PRS Team Coordinator / Senior Caseworker http://www.goodmoves.org.uk/jobs/28160
 
Financial Inclusion/Capability Officer http://www.goodmoves.org.uk/jobs/28161
 

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Monday 20 June 2016

Govan Law Centre to launch Scotland's first Personal Insolvency Law Unit

Alan McIntosh, Project Manager
Govan Law Centre (GLC) is launching Scotland’s first Personal Insolvency Law Unit. The new pilot project  will provide both first and second tier specialist insolvency advice and representation to both consumers and front line, free sector advisers who are dealing with clients struggling with debt.


With personal insolvency law now increasingly complex and also being monetised by private sector firms seeking to charge clients, who are often vulnerable.
Alan McIntosh, the Unit's Project Manager, said: "The Unit is coming along at a vital time for Scotland, as although personal insolvency is currently at a 14-year low, we can expect numbers to being rising again as consumer debt levels increase".

“In that environment, with many advice agencies, like Citizen Advice Bureaux and local authorities suffering cuts to their funding, we need to ensure there is a service where people can access specialist advice - not only as to when insolvency may or may not be the correct option for them - but also in relation to defending bankruptcy actions raised against them, as the consequence of this can often be families’ losing their homes”.
GLC's Mike Dailly, Solicitor Advocate said: "GLC's Board believes there is a massive unmet legal need across Scotland for specialised insolvency advice - ultimately to ensure that people access the very best solution to meet their own particular needs and to protect their homes; whether that solution is through the Debt Arrangement Scheme, a negotiated settlement, trust deed, or sequestration. We are very proud and delighted to be launching this essential service".

Mr McIntosh said: “Scotland’s bankruptcy laws have also gone through seismic change over the last 15 years, meaning they now impact on more people’s lives, with over 150,000 people in Scotland using a form of insolvency since 2008, but also the remedies are more accessible and this means the risks of people using the wrong solution have increased.”

“This risk has also grown with the removal of the courts from the process, which although generally is to be welcomed, does mean people need to step cautiously so they don’t casually walk into a formal remedy without first taking specialist advice.” 

The unit opens for business on Monday 11 July 2016, and will provide advice to clients who:
  • are already in a personal insolvency or formal debt remedy in Scotland
  • are considering entering a personal insolvency remedy or are being made bankrupt by a   creditor;
  • have either been in a Protected Trust Deed or made bankrupt before in Scotland.
Alan McIntosh LLB (Hons) graduated from the University of Aberdeen and is an approved money adviser for the Debt Arrangement Scheme. He has worked in the Money Advice and Personal Insolvency industry in Scotland for over 15 years in various positions, including as a front line adviser, trainer and policy officer. He is also a Personal Insolvency Practitioner in the Republic of Ireland.

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Wednesday 8 June 2016

GLC seeks qualified solicitor to join its legal team in Glasgow's Govan

Govan Law Centre is seeking a qualified solicitor with good civil court and preferably tribunal experience. Experience in housing, homelessness, employment, equalities law and public administrative law would be an advantage.

The successful candidate will work from our main offices at Orkney Street in Govan. Regular court appearances will be required. This is a full-time post, however, job sharing will be considered. Click here for the Job Description for this post (opens as a PDF).
 
Please send a CV and covering letter explaining why you are interested in this post to: Candy Walker, Service Manager, Govan Law Centre, 18-20 Orkney Street, Glasgow, G51 2BX or m @ govanlc.com.

Closing date 4pm, Friday 1 July 2016Interviews will most likely take place on Friday 8th July 2016 at Govan Law Centre.  No recruitment agencies necessary thank-you. Govan Law Centre is a Registered Scottish Charity SC030193. http://www.govanlc.com/
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