STUDENTS need to be protected against unscrupulous landlords, says Glasgow MSP Robert Brown.

He's calling on the Scottish Government to introduce a scheme that will ensure landlords cannot hold on to deposits for flats after students have left without a legitimate reason.

Landlords wrongly retaining deposits worth hundreds of pounds is the most common type of housing complaint to the National Union of Students in Scotland.

Mr Brown said: "A recent report suggested a third of students in private lets feel their deposit has been unreasonably withheld at the end of the lease. That's scandalous.

"Most landlords require a deposit of one month's rent as a security against damage by the tenant.

"This is not unreasonable but some unscrupulous landlords routinely hang on to the deposit when the tenancy ends, claiming damage that does not exist.

"Many students in Glasgow are vulnerable to this because they often feel they have nowhere to go to complain.

"They budget for the return of the deposit and it leaves a huge gap in their finances when it is withheld."

A new Tenancy Protection Scheme was recently introduced in England that guarantees the deposit will be repaid to the tenant if there is no damage.

A free arbitration service is available if there is damage and a dispute about the amount to be withheld.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "A stakeholder working group, representing the interests of private landlords and tenants, is investigating the scale of the problem of unfairly withheld deposits in Scotland.

"The Government will be carrying out surveys in 2008 to explore tenants' and landlords' experiences of the private rented sector, including experiences of deposits.

"The findings will help the group to consider recommendations for Ministers on how deposit management should be improved."