More than 300 movers and shakers in the property rental sector turned out at Scotland's biggest annual landlord event.

Now a key sponsor of National Landlord Day has predicted the event will go from strength to strength as private landlords take on increasing political significance.

Thomas Ashdown is managing director of Citylets, Scotland's biggest property letting portal and primary sponsor of the event organised by the Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL).

Speaking about the record 300 delegate turn out, Thomas said that success of the March 24 coincided with an extremely positive Government review of private rented housing.

He added: "There is no doubt National Landlord Day is and will continue to be an important annual fixture in the property calendar.

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"It's telling that on the day of the event the Scottish Government has published its review of private rented housing and acknowledged that private landlords are playing an ever more important role in the housing market."

Mr Ashdown said he believes what we are witnessing is a sea change in attitudes towards the private sector: "There has often been a misconception that it’s about little more than wealth creation - in fact it has a very serious role to play in Scottish housing."

Among the guest speakers at Edinburgh's Dynamic Earth was Housing Minister Alex Neil, who earlier unveiled key findings of the most extensive study of the sector ever undertaken in Scotland.

It found high levels of satisfaction among landlords and private tenants, while also recording a marked increase in demand for private lets among students, young professional and migrant workers.

Alex Neil said: "The findings are encouraging, but we recognise there is still work to be done. Private landlords have the potential to play a greater role in providing accommodation for homeless households in particular."

Citylets staff who were on hand to meet delegates at the event and answer questions about the quarterly reports included Client Services Manager Mark Crossey, Kasia Drak who provides customer support and Dr Colin Roberts of Edinburgh University who helps assess the data.

(GK/JM)