Private landlord registration

If you rent out a property in Scotland, you must register as a landlord before you advertise or let it. This is a legal requirement. You must apply through the Scottish Landlord Register and renew your registration every three years. Your registration number must appear in adverts and on tenancy agreements. We use the register to make sure landlords meet legal standards and to protect tenants and communities.

Who needs to register

You must register if you own and rent out a residential property in Scotland. This applies to:

individual landlords
joint owners
anyone planning to let a property soon

Each owner named on the title deeds must register separately, even for jointly owned properties.

Why registration matters

Registration helps us make sure landlords are fit and proper persons to let property. It allows us to:

check landlords meet legal standards
deal with poor practice
protect tenants from unsafe or badly managed housing
tackle antisocial behaviour linked to rented homes

If you let a property without registering, you can be fined up to £50,000.

Check if a landlord is registered

You can search the public Scottish Landlord Register to check if a landlord is registered. This is useful if you are renting or thinking about renting a property.

How to apply

You can apply in two ways:

online: through the Landlord Registration Scotland website
by post: by emailing landlordregistrationteam@southlanarkshire.gov.uk to request a paper form

When you apply, you must tell us if you use an agent to manage your property.

An agent can be:

a letting agent
a solicitor
a friend or relative

If you carry out letting agency work, you may also need to join the Scottish Letting Agent Register.

What you need to apply

Have the following details ready:

your addresses for the past five years
your date of birth
any other names you are known by
addresses of all properties you let
your email address
details of any agents you use
information about any convictions or tribunal decisions

Providing accurate information helps us process your application quickly.

Joint owners

If a property has more than one owner:

each owner must register
one owner should act as the lead owner and pay the full fee
other owners receive a full discount on the main fee

All owners are still responsible for keeping their own registration up to date.

Keeping your details up to date

You must update your registration if anything changes, including:

your address
your contact details
your managing agent
buying or selling property

You must also tell us about:

criminal convictions
antisocial behaviour orders or notices
refused or revoked licences or registrations

Keeping your details up to date is a legal duty.

What happens after you apply

If we approve your application:

your details (or your agent’s details) appear on the public register
you can legally let your property

If we refuse your application:

we will explain why
you may be able to improve your application and apply again
you have the right to appeal

Fees

The standard fees are:

£85 to register as a landlord
£20 for each property

You may pay less if:

you are already registered with another council (£42.50)
your property is a licensed house in multiple occupation

If you have questions about fees, email LandLordRegistration@gov.scot.

Renewing your registration

You must renew your registration every three years.

To help you remember:

we send email reminders 90, 30 and 14 days before expiry, and on the expiry date
emails come from donotreply@ros.gov.uk
check your spam or junk folder

If you do not provide an email address, we send reminders by post.

Late renewals

If you miss your renewal:

you will be charged a £170 late fee
the fee is automatic and cannot be appealed

For joint owners:

each owner must renew on time
even if you do not pay the main fee, you will still pay the late fee if you miss the deadline
renewal dates may differ for each owner

How to avoid late fees

You can avoid extra costs by:

registering before you advertise your property
keeping your contact details up to date
acting on reminder emails early
setting your own renewal reminders
making sure all joint owners renew on time
not relying on an agent to renew for you

If you have problems, contact us as soon as possible.

Your responsibilities as a landlord

When you register, you confirm you meet legal duties. This includes:

Property condition

You must keep your property safe and in good repair. Tenants can report issues to the Housing and Property Chamber if you do not meet standards.

Evictions

You must follow the correct legal process to evict a tenant. You must also tell us if you plan to evict someone.

Antisocial behaviour

You are responsible for dealing with complaints about your tenants or their visitors.

Complaints and enforcement

suspect a landlord is not registered
have concerns about a rented property
want to report landlord behaviour

email: landlordregistrationteam@southlanarkshire.gov.uk

We can investigate and take action where needed.

If you stop being a landlord

You must tell us if you no longer rent out property.

email: landlordregistrationteam@southlanarkshire.gov.uk
phone: 0303 123 1015 (select option 7)
post:
Landlord Registration Team
Floor 11, Council Offices
Almada Street
Hamilton ML3 0AA

Further information

You can find more help and guidance from: