Shelter Scotland 10344 515 2447 Fax Mr lain Livingstone QPM Chief Constable Police Scotland Date: 24 July 2020 Dear Mr Livingstone I am writing to you as we are concerned about the number of illegal evictions cases which have been brought to our attention through our housing advice services. As you know illegal evictions are a criminal offence and we are keen to ensure that your officers are aware of this issue should tenants oontact them. Our advice to tenants il they are threatened with or experience an illegal eviction is to call the police as soon as possible to get support. This is particularly important during this health pandemic, where illegal evictions an result in tenants becoming homeless and at risk at very short notice. These illegal evictions can happen in a number ol ways: by evicting without following the correct legal processes; by a landlord changing the locks when the tenant is away from the propeny or by threatening violence or intimidation. In addition to this during this pandemic period new emergency legislation has been put in place to protect most tenants lrom eviction until October 2020, to ensure we do not see people pushed into homelessness. Since lockdown began Shelter Scotland advisors have dealt with a signilicant number of illegal evictions cases, in these cases the eviction has either been threatened or carried out. For example, our housing advisors in Aberdeen have stopped 20 illegal evictions lrom happening since lockdown began. We offer advice and support to both tenants and landlords and have enabled the tenants to remain in their homes. However, we are concerned that many more evictions may be taking place, as tenants are often not aware of their rights, or where to get help, and illegal evictions olten go unreported making it hard to quantily the real extent ol the issue. Until there's a home for everyone shelterscotland.org Shelter MW umgm mm mm mm .m on 8:1ku aw 5m "aw-lg mm mm mm Wang: usesuA med sum in mm .m in 5mm 43W Scotland Shelter Scotland would be happy work with Police Scotland to further support tenants and stop illegal evictions happening in Scotland – both during coronavirus and afterwards. I look forward to hearing from you. Yours sincerely Alison Watson Alison Watson Director Shelter scotland