EXPERTS hit out today after it was revealed rogue factors will escape a crackdown in Scottish Government plans.

EXPERTS hit out today after it was revealed rogue factors will escape a crackdown in Scottish Government plans.

Scottish Housing Minister Stewart Maxwell announced an industry-led accreditation scheme would "weed out the cowboys" and make it easier for homeowners to find a good factor.

But the scheme will be voluntary - and critics say cowboy' factors will simply not sign up to the plan.

Around 100,000 homes in Glasgow have factors and this year the Evening Times published a major investigation of the problems householders faced dealing with their factors, most of whom cannot be changed.

Large numbers of householders said they were being ripped off or left helpless by commercial property managers and social housing associations.

Following our probe, the Office of Fair Trading announced a major investigation into factors.

Today, Mr Maxwell announced the Scottish Government scheme. He said factors would have to meet high standards of service to join it, provide a "robust" complaints procedure and tell owners how to sack them.

Signing up would also mean factors promising to get a number of quotes from contractors before work is done and providing transparent bills.

Ministers believe the scheme - run by a board of factors, consumer representatives and housing experts - will be successful as bad factors can be thrown out if they don't raise standards.

Mr Maxwell said: "I am grateful to the Evening Times for highlighting the problems rogue property managers can cause for many householders.

"Although owners have legal rights to dismiss factors, it is difficult for them to identify good quality property managers.

"This is a wake-up call for the minority of property managers delivering a sub-standard service.

"The accreditation scheme will help weed out the cowboys."

However, some experts believe the scheme, which should be introduced next year, won't stop the worst offenders.

Campaigning housing lawyer Mike Dailly said: "The scheme is fundamentally flawed as it is not mandatory and will have no impact on the real bad guys.

"The worst factors simply will not join, but will continue to operate and rip people off in the ways highlighted by the Evening Times."

He said Government regulation was the only way to protect the public.

Glasgow Labour MSP Patricia Ferguson who is drafting a Bill, supported by the Evening Times, that will lay down factors' obligations in law, also criticised today's scheme.

She said: "I'm disappointed the Government introduced such an insignificant scheme, without awaiting the outcome of the OFT study."