When you become an Edinburgh landlord for the first time, it’s tricky to know who to turn to when you need advice. Who can help with your tenancy agreement, EPC certificate or gas safety check?
At Clan Gordon, we’ve been looking after properties for the city’s landlords for more than 15 years and can offer unrivalled guidance on just about any issue you might encounter.
But there are also plenty of organisations who provide support for landlords and whose websites offer a wealth of useful information:
Scottish Association of Landlords
This membership association provides documents and factsheets for landlords, updates members on the latest news and legislation changes and has a quarterly members’ magazine. It also offers discounts from suppliers and regularly lobbies Parliament on issues on behalf of landlords, most recently about the 3% rent rise cap and pause on evictions being actioned.
Scottish Government
The Scottish Government website provides important information about landlord registration, the Repairing Standard and tenancy deposit schemes. It also offers a model private residential tenancy agreement. Landlords can find updates to legislation and full details of all legal requirements.
Landlord Registration Scotland
All landlords of privately rented properties in Scotland must sign up to the register, and tenants can use the website to find registered landlords in their area. Registration is £75 with an additional £17 charge for each property within a single local authority area. The website also has a link to registration for a short-term let licence, which has been a requirement since 1 October 2022.
Gas Safe Register
Landlords must ensure an annual gas safety check is carried out by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and any appliances using gas, other than for cooking, also require carbon monoxide monitors to be installed. A record of the check must be given to tenants within 28 days, and for new rentals it must be provided at the start of the tenancy. The Gas Safe Register website advises on what is legally required of landlords and also provides a register of engineers who are qualified to carry out checks.
Electrical Safety First
This safety campaigning charity aims to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by electricity in UK homes. Its website offers specific advice for Scottish landlords about electrical inspections and Portable Appliance Testing (PAT), both of which are required.
Energy Saving Trust
This independent organisation works to tackle the climate crisis and provides information about saving money on utility bills. It also offers information about the Scottish Government’s minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) requirements for rental homes.
If you need in-person advice about letting your property, or would like us to take the strain and manage your buy-to-let, visit www.clangordon.co.uk or schedule a call with one of our expert property management advisors today.