First, you must apply to be registered as a landlord with the local council that covers the area where your property is. Once you’re listed on the register, you’ll be given a registration number, which must be displayed on adverts to rent your property. Your landlord registration must be renewed every three years. It’s a criminal offence to let your property without being registered. The penalties for not being in the Scottish Landlord Register are severe – you could be prevented from charging your tenant rent, fined up to £50,000 or banned from letting properties for up to five years.
You must also register your tenant’s deposit with an approved tenancy deposit scheme within 30 days of the tenancy starting. If you don’t, the tenant can make a claim in the sheriff court, and you might find yourself ordered to pay the tenant up to three times the value of their deposit. For more information, read Prescribed information for tenancy deposits in Scotland.
If you want to rent your property out to three or more unrelated people, you must also get a House in Multiple Occupancy (HMO) licence. For more information, read HMOs.