A Scottish private let is a Private Residential Tenancy: open-ended, with no no-fault route, notice of 28 or 84 days depending on the tenant's circumstances, and a Tribunal that must find eviction reasonable. These are the rules Rentura applies to a property in Scotland.
23 of 25 rules on this page are verified against a named source. The rest are recorded and shown as not established, rather than guessed at. The oldest check on this page is 2026-09-01. Also: England · Wales
A PRT has no fixed end date and continues until the tenant leaves or the landlord ends it on one of the 18 grounds in schedule 3 via a Notice to Leave.
The tenancy is open-ended and will last until you wish to leave the let property or your landlord uses one (or more) of 18 grounds for eviction.
Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016, s.1 · gov.scot, Private residential tenancy: information for tenants · checked 2026-09-01
The landlord must give the tenant a single written document setting out all terms by the day the tenancy begins, or within 28 days where the tenancy became a PRT after commencing or the terms later change.
the day falling 28 days after the day on which the tenancy became a private residential tenancy
s.10 Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 · Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016, s.10 · checked 2026-09-01
Anyone renting out residential property in Scotland must register as a landlord, and every joint owner must register too.
If anyone else owns the property with you, they must register too.
Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, Part 8 · mygov.scot, Registering as a private landlord · checked 2026-09-01
Landlord registration must be renewed every 3 years.
You must renew your registration every 3 years.
Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004, Part 8 · mygov.scot, Registering as a private landlord · checked 2026-09-01
It is a criminal offence to let residential property in Scotland without being registered, and a landlord can be fined up to 50,000 pounds.
It's a criminal offence to rent out a property without being registered. You can be fined up to 50,000 pounds.
s.93 Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 · mygov.scot, Registering as a private landlord · checked 2026-09-01
The Right to Rent scheme applies in England only. Landlords letting in Scotland are not required to carry out those checks.
You must check that a tenant or lodger can legally rent your residential property in England.
Immigration Act 2014, Part 3 Chapter 1, commenced for England only · GOV.UK, Check if a tenant can rent your residential property in England · checked 2026-09-01
Every gas appliance and flue in the let property must be checked annually by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
must ensure an annual safety check is carried out on each gas appliance and flue
Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998; Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 Repairing Standard · gov.scot, Repairing Standard statutory guidance, Annex D2 · checked 2026-09-01
The electrical installation must be inspected and tested before the property is first let and at intervals of no more than 5 years.
The minimum standard to comply with the legislation is that an inspection must be carried out at least every 5 years.
Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, Repairing Standard, Annex D3 · gov.scot, Repairing Standard statutory guidance, Annex D3 · checked 2026-09-01
Where the landlord supplies electrical appliances, in-service inspection and testing of those appliances is a mandatory part of the electrical safety inspection, separate from the EICR of the fixed installation.
Landlords are required to ensure an electrical safety inspection comprising of periodic inspection and testing (PI & T) of the electrical installation and 'In-service inspection and testing of electrical equipment' (also known as PAT testing) is carried out
Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, Repairing Standard, Annex D3 · gov.scot, Repairing Standard statutory guidance, Annex D3 · checked 2026-09-01
An EPC is valid for 10 years from assessment and must be provided to prospective tenants, who must be told the rating before signing.
An EPC is valid for 10 years and does not need to be updated during this time.
Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008, as amended · gov.scot, Energy Performance Certificates: guide · checked 2026-09-01
Where there is a fixed combustion appliance other than a cooker, or a flue, a CO detector meeting BS EN 50291 must be fitted in the room containing the appliance, outside the room if the appliance is in a bathroom, with an additional detector where a flue passes through a bedroom or principal habitable room.
A CO detection system to consist of at least: 1 CO detector in every space containing a fixed combustion appliance
Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 Repairing Standard; s.86 tolerable standard · gov.scot, Carbon monoxide alarms in private rented properties: guidance · checked 2026-09-01
A landlord must carry out a legionella risk assessment of the hot and cold water systems before first letting, and review it at intervals of no more than 2 years or sooner if circumstances change.
Private landlords have a duty to carry out a risk assessment of hot and cold water systems for legionnaire's disease to minimise the risk of tenants being exposed to legionella.
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974; COSHH · gov.scot, Repairing Standard statutory guidance, Annex D1 · checked 2026-09-01
A deposit must be paid into one of the three approved Scottish schemes within 30 working days of the tenancy start date.
A landlord who has received a tenancy deposit in connection with a relevant tenancy must, within 30 working days of the beginning of the tenancy - (a) pay the deposit to the scheme administrator of an approved scheme
reg 3(1)(a), SSI 2011/176; 'working day' defined in reg 2 · Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011, reg 3 · checked 2026-09-01
Within the same 30-working-day window the landlord must give the tenant written information covering the address, deposit amount and date paid, the date lodged, the scheme's details, confirmation of landlord registration, and how deductions may be made.
The landlord must provide the tenant with the information in paragraph (2) within the timescales specified in paragraph (3) ... (a) where the tenancy deposit is paid in compliance with regulation 3(1), within the timescale set out in that regulation; or (b) in any other case, within 30 working days of payment of the deposit to the tenancy deposit scheme
reg 42(1)-(3), SSI 2011/176; 'working day' defined in reg 2 · Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Regulations 2011, reg 42 · checked 2026-09-01
Rent can only be increased once in any 12-month period.
can only increase the rent once in a 12-month period
s.24 Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 · mygov.scot, Increasing the rent for a private residential tenancy · checked 2026-09-01
A landlord must give at least 3 months' written notice of a rent increase, using the prescribed form.
must give your tenant at least 3 months' written notice of the increase
s.22 Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 · mygov.scot, Increasing the rent for a private residential tenancy · checked 2026-09-01
A tenant disputing an increase refers it to Rent Service Scotland, which must receive the application within 21 days of the tenant getting the notice. The rent officer can set the rent higher or lower than proposed.
Rent Service Scotland must receive your application within 21 days of you getting a rent increase notice.
s.25 Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 · mygov.scot, Rent increases if you have a private residential tenancy · checked 2026-09-01
There is no rent cap in force in any part of Scotland. The Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022 emergency cap expired at the end of 31 March 2024. The Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 rent control area mechanism is not yet operative: councils assess from April 2026 and first report to Ministers by May 2027, and only a designated area attracts a cap.
Part 1 of the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022 ("the 2022 Act") expires at the end of 31 March 2024.
Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022 Part 1, expired; Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 Part 1 · gov.scot, Rent controls · checked 2026-09-01
Every home must have a smoke alarm in the main living room, a smoke alarm in every circulation space on each storey, a heat alarm in the kitchen, all ceiling-mounted and interlinked, plus a CO detector wherever there is a fixed combustion appliance or flue.
satisfactory equipment installed for detecting, and for giving warning of, fire or suspected fire
s.86(1)(j)-(k) Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, in force 1 February 2022 · Housing (Scotland) Act 1987, s.86 as amended · checked 2026-09-01
The landlord must ensure the let house meets the Repairing Standard throughout the tenancy: wind and watertight, structure and exterior in reasonable repair, installations in working order, a fixed heating system, satisfactory insulation and no lead pipes, sound sanitary fittings, safe common parts, and compliant fire and CO detection.
A landlord in the private rented sector has a duty to ensure that the house they rent out meets the Repairing Standard.
Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, Part 1 Chapter 4, ss.13-22 · gov.scot, Repairing Standard statutory guidance · checked 2026-09-01
Not established. No official source states a mandatory periodic inspection interval outside the certificate-driven checks themselves.
Not established. Rentura records this but has not verified it, so it never produces a date.
28 days' notice applies where the tenant has occupied for 6 months or less, or where the ground is not occupying as an only or principal home, breach of tenancy, a relevant criminal conviction, anti-social behaviour, or association with such a person.
a landlord may not make an application to the First-tier Tribunal for an eviction order against a tenant using a copy of a notice to leave until the expiry of the relevant period
s.54 Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 · Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016, s.54 · checked 2026-09-01
84 days' notice applies in all other cases: broadly, tenancies of more than 6 months where the ground is not one of the shortened-notice grounds, such as sale, landlord or family moving in, rent arrears, or refurbishment.
until the expiry of the relevant period
s.54 Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 · Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016, s.54 · checked 2026-09-01
None of the 18 grounds in schedule 3 is mandatory. For every ground the First-tier Tribunal must also be satisfied that it is reasonable to grant the eviction order.
All eviction grounds are discretionary. This means that the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) can use their discretion and take all circumstances into account when deciding whether or not it is reasonable to grant an order for eviction.
Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016, sch.3 as amended · gov.scot, Private residential tenancy: grounds for eviction · checked 2026-09-01
Schedule 3 has 18 grounds in 4 parts: property required for another purpose (sell, sold by lender, refurbish, landlord to live in, family member to live in, non-residential use, religious purpose); tenant's status (no longer an employee, no longer needs supported accommodation); tenant's conduct (not occupying as home, breach, rent arrears of 3 or more consecutive months, criminal conviction, anti-social behaviour, association); legal impediment (landlord no longer registered, HMO licence revoked, overcrowding notice).
Not established. Rentura records this but has not verified it, so it never produces a date.
Every rule on this page is one Rentura applies to your properties, working out what is due and when from the source above. One property is free.
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