Commenting on the announcement that regulations will be put in place to protect tenants from having their deposits wrongly withheld, Liberal Democrat Edinburgh South MSP Mike Pringle said:

“It is high time that substantial deposits of those living in private rented accommodation in Scotland are protected by law.

“Liberal Democrats have long campaigned for these regulations to be put in place, which will assist tenants who can have great difficulty in getting back deposits owed to them.

“These new regulations will also ensure that the amount that landlords can charge for deposits is regulated.

"It is not right that individuals and families can be held to ransom by unscrupulous landlords who don't return their deposits.”