Letting Agents

Letting Agent Update - Code of Practice comes into force and Scottish Letting Agent Register opens for applications

The Letting Agent Code of Practice came into effect on 31 January 2018.  All Letting Agents in Scotland must now apply for registration on the Letting Agents Register.  

Code of Practice
From 31 January 2018 all letting agents operating in Scotland must comply with the Letting Agent Code of Practice. This statutory code sets out the standards that letting agents must meet in managing their business and in providing services to tenants and landlords. If a letting agent does not meet the code’s obligations from 31 January, tenants and landlords can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) to resolve a breach of the code.

Letting Agent Register
Any business carrying out letting agent activities in Scotland must also apply to join the mandatory Scottish Letting Agent Register by 1 October 2018. The Scottish Government has been working collaboratively with Registers of Scotland to develop an online application for the Register.

You can apply at: https://lettingagentregistration.gov.scot

Information on applying for registration can be found at - https://www.mygov.scot/letting-agent-registration/how-to-apply.

Further Sources of Information
If you are unsure whether your business needs to register, or you don’t know what you need to do before you register, you may find it helpful to read the Scottish Government’s online guide to letting agent registration which is available at: www.mygov.scot/letting-agent-registration

The Scottish Government has also published guides for tenants and landlords. These can be found at:

• Tenants – www.mygov.scot/letting-agent-registration-tenants
• Landlords – www.mygov.scot/letting-agent-registration-landlords

Contact details:

Letting Agent Registration Team
Better Homes Division, Housing & Social Justice Directorate, The Scottish Government
Email: lettingagentregulation@gov.scot