Private landlords have a range of legal responsibilities to their tenants which include:
- Landlord Registration – all private landlords in Scotland are required to register with the local authority where they are or will be renting out property.
- Tenancy Deposit Scheme – landlords must use an approved scheme to protect deposits until they are due to be repaid and provide the tenant with key information about the tenancy and deposit.
- Tenant Information Pack – landlords have a legal duty to provide new tenants with this pack, which provides important information to tenants in the private rented sector.
- Repairing Standard – Landlords must carry out a pre-tenancy check of their property to identify work required to meet the minimum standard and notify tenants of any such work. Landlords also have a duty to repair and maintain their property from the tenancy start date and throughout the tenancy.
- Alarms & Detectors – the Repairing Standard also includes a duty to install smoke alarms and heat and carbon monoxide detectors and there is strict guidelines on the number and positioning of these.
- Energy Performance Certificate – all Landlords must provide this before their property can be let.
- Gas Safety Checks – all properties with gas are required to be checked by a Gas Safe Engineer annually and a certificate given to the tenant.
- Electrical Testing – there is a legal duty to conduct five yearly electrical checks of the fixed wiring and any electrical appliances supplied in privately rented homes.
- Furniture and Furnishings – furniture included in privately let accommodation must meet current fire resistance requirements
Legionnaire’s disease – landlords have a duty to carry out a risk assessment of hot and cold water systems to check for this. - Non-Resident Landlords Scheme – HMRC scheme for taxing the UK rental income of landlords whose usual place of abode is outside the UK
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