Housing (Scotland) Act 2001

20 Abandonment by joint tenant

(1) This section applies where a landlord under a Scottish secure tenancy has reasonable grounds for believing that a joint tenant under the tenancy (the “abandoning tenant”)—

(a) is not occupying the house, and

(b) does not intend to occupy it as the tenant’s home.

(2) A landlord wishing to bring to an end the interest of an abandoning tenant in the tenancy must serve on the abandoning tenant a notice—

(a) stating that the landlord has reason to believe that the abandoning tenant is not occupying the house and does not intend to occupy it as the tenant’s home,

(b) requiring the abandoning tenant to inform the landlord in writing within 4 weeks of service of the notice if the abandoning tenant intends to occupy the house as the tenant’s home, and

(c) informing the abandoning tenant that, if it appears to the landlord at the end of that period that the abandoning tenant does not intend so to occupy the house, the abandoning tenant’s interest in the tenancy will be brought to an end by the service of a notice under subsection (3).

(3) Where—

(a) the landlord has—

(i) served on the abandoning tenant a notice complying with subsection (2), and

(ii) made such inquiries as may be necessary to satisfy the landlord that the abandoning tenant is not occupying the house and does not intend to occupy it as the tenant’s home, and

(b) at the end of the period mentioned in subsection (2)(b) the landlord is so satisfied,

the landlord may serve a further notice on the abandoning tenant bringing the abandoning tenant’s interest in the tenancy to an end with effect from a date specified in the notice, being a date not earlier than 8 weeks after the date of service of the notice.

(4) A landlord serving a notice on an abandoning tenant under subsection (2) or (3) must serve a copy of the notice on each of the other joint tenants under the tenancy.