The University of Strathclyde has launched a project for “Housing Mediation” led by Carolyn Hirst.
The university already has a Mediation Clinic and will be basing the new project out of the same location utilising a £20,000 grant from SafeDeposits Scotland Trust.
Carolyn has been working in mediation for over twelve years and before that worked in housing for over twenty years.
Charlie Irvine, clinic director announcing the project said “Carolyn brings a great deal of credibility and energy to support our ambition of founding Scotland’s first centre of excellence in housing mediation.”
The new Strathclyde project will be pro bono aimed at the private renting sector where cases are destined for the Sheriff’s court or the housing tribunal.
At Northwest Mediation we don’t do pro bono work for in private housing/landlord disputes but our rates are very reasonable and we can agree flexible terms to assist parties to help with the same areas as the Housing Project, including tenancy deposit schemes, neighbouring property disputes and arguments with letting agents about dilapidations.
The land tribunal website for Scotland confirms that proceedings can be put on hold while mediation is explored.
Carolyn said “These are exciting early days. We have been recruiting mediators and plan to carry out our first mediations soon. There has already been considerable interest in the service and we welcome approaches from all who are interested in using mediation to resolve private sector housing disputes. We think that our service may be of particular interest to solicitors and their clients….I am delighted that SafeDeposits Scotland is funding this innovative project and know that it fits in well with their objective of advancing conflict resolution through promoting the use of alternative dispute resolution processes for the more efficient resolution of disputes between landlords and tenants within the private rented housing sector.”
I’m often asked if mediation works, and whilst I can only attest to Northwest Mediations many successes (90% complete resolution and 100% some form of narrowing the issues) it’s always good to be able to refer to research which confirms that mediation works.
In this article from Hyderabad the involvement of mediation with investment practices is examined (and a positive conclusion reached).
All investors at every level know that investment is a risky business and can cause people to lose homes, careers, sanity and in some cases lives.
In the last few years there has been a rise in the number of disputes between investors and promoters of investment opportunities and in these often complex and usually high value arguments mediation has been incredibly successful.
According to the article “worldwide statistics show that most matters that have been referred for mediation are settled”.
It quotes the 70-80%% settlement rate reported by the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution and we’ve mentioned before the success story of Singapore with its mediation centre claiming a 75% success rate. Add to that the Financial regulatory authority in the us who says they achieve up to 85% settlement via mediation and it’s easy to see where the story of mediation as one of continued success.
It’s easy to see why the process is so successful.
In any claim whether the value is huge in cash or effect mediation allows the parties to choose the method of mediation and the solutions employed, being guided by a professional all throughout knowing that all discussions are kept confidential and that at the end they will come out with an agreement which allows them (whether a business or individual) to walk away with a resolution which otherwise would have costs thousands and taken years to litigate.
Northwest Mediation can help with any dispute whether it's an employment issue or the sale at an under value of a property, a fight with a neighbour, family issues, commercial disputes or inheritance arguments contact Northwest Mediation on 07931318347 or via email at ed.johnson@northwestmediation.co.uk
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