Letting agents say proposed changes in the law could affect their ability to deal with anti-social tenants
Private landlords have called on the Scottish government to alter its plans to modernise the law on tenancies.
Members of the Scottish Association of Landlords (Sal) said a bill before Holyrood would make it harder to tackle anti-social behaviour.
They claimed it would end their right to allow a tenancy to come to a natural end.
The government said the bill would make tenancies better regulated which would safeguard both tenants and landlords.
Letting agents argued it was vital that anti-social tenants could be easily moved from their property.
The government's Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill, external would mean they could only be removed after official complaints were made to police, with witnesses willing to give evidence to a tribunal.
'Natural end'
In a statement issued at a conference in Edinburgh to coincide with National Landlord Day, Sal said those affected by anti-social behaviour may feel too intimidated to testify. It has asked ministers to rethink the changes.
The statement, from 56 letting agents across Scotland, said: "We know of landlords who have been made aware of anti-social behaviour in their property and have been unsuccessful in their efforts to assist the tenant in improving their conduct.
"In order to manage this situation quickly and effectively and for the benefit of the community, they have allowed a tenancy to come to a natural end, allowing for the adequate notice period outlined in the contract."
Sal, which represents landlords controlling more than 16,000 properties, said the bill would mean neighbours who complain about anti-social behaviour would be forced to make an official complaint to the police and be willing to give public evidence to a tribunal before any action could be taken to remove a tenant.
'Appropriate safeguards'
David Kendall, a landlord in Hamilton, who had to deal with an anti-social tenant, said the bill would have made it difficult for him to gather complaints from neighbours.
"The anti-social tenant would have known who had complained about him, and they would be fearful they would meet him in the close or on the street," he said.
"Also my reputation would be damaged, because I would have had to tell neighbours there was nothing I could do. It would look as if I were washing my hands of it."
Shelter Scotland said the legislation was necessary because the private rental sector was changing and the tenancy regime in place was not fit for purpose.
It said 14% of all households in Scotland were in private rented accomodation, including 25% of all families with children.
Rosemary Brotchie, policy and research director told the Good Morning Scotland programme on Radio Scotland: "Families are looking for security and predictability in their renting situation.
"You want to make a house a home; you want to be able to stay there and put down roots in your community, and under the current situation that's just not the case, because you don't know from one month to the next whether your landlord is going to ask you to leave."
A Scottish government spokesman said the bill provided new grounds to evict tenants engaging in anti-social behaviour or who had a relevant criminal conviction.
A statement said: "The bill will introduce a modern tenancy to make it a more professionally managed and better regulated sector that provides good quality homes and is attractive to those who want to live, work and invest in it.
"It aims to provide security, stability, and predictability for 700,000 tenants in Scotland while providing appropriate safeguards for landlords, lenders and investors."
