Scottish landlords risk PRS rule breaches

Scottish landlords are being warned that fragmented guidance is increasing the risk of accidental rule breaches as regulation across the private rented sector continues to change.

A study commissioned by the SafeDeposits Scotland Charitable Trust found that landlords report little or no direct communication from local authorities.

And that’s despite being part of Scotland’s landlord registration system.

Instead, they rely on government websites, council guidance, newsletters, online forums and ‘word of mouth’ to understand their legal duties.

One landlord interviewed for the report said: “I think they change all the time and there’s no one place that gets clearly communicated.”

Another said: “All the information I was looking for online turned out to be out of date, frankly wrong, even on the government website.”

Call for online hub

Now, the Trust is calling for a single online hub covering current Scottish private rented sector regulation and guidance.

It also wants clearer and more proactive communication when rules change, along with practical compliance tools such as templates, checklists and step-by-step guidance.

Other proposals include targeted financial support to help landlords meet future energy efficiency requirements and approved lists of contractors and tradespeople to help required works be completed.

Landlords need clearer communication

Dr Jennifer Harris, the head of policy at SafeDeposits Scotland, said: “Providing homes in the private rented sector is a significant responsibility, and landlords should have the support and clarity needed to meet the standards that are rightly expected of them.

“However, this research shows many landlords who are trying to do the right thing are struggling to navigate what has become an increasingly complex and fragmented system.”

She added: “Too often, landlords are piecing together information from multiple sources and hoping they have not missed something important.

“If reforms to the private rented sector are going to succeed, landlords need clearer communication, simpler systems and more practical support to comply with the rules.”

Landlords want to comply

The research found that most landlords wanted to comply with regulations and regarded themselves as responsible housing providers.

However, many said unclear guidance, complex rules, rising costs and problems finding tradespeople were making compliance harder.

Researchers also found that landlords were more likely to be motivated by providing safe homes for tenants than by the threat of enforcement action or penalties.

The findings build on the Trust’s 2025 Voice of the Landlord Survey, which found that 41% of landlords felt able to keep up with changes affecting the sector, down from 51% in 2024.

Only 21% said changes to the law were clearly communicated, while one in four smaller landlords said they could not keep up with legal changes.