Letting and managing property in the private rented sector? Are you getting ready for letting agent registration?

If your organisation is involved in letting and managing property for a private landlord, or by way of a lease from a parent RSL, you are likely to be required to join the forthcoming register of letting agents and to comply with a statutory Code of Practice.

Part 4 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2014 introduces a robust framework for the regulation of those carrying out letting agency work (as defined by section 61 of the Act). This includes:

• mandatory registration of all those undertaking letting agency work
• a statutory code of practice
• a new way for tenants and landlords to resolve complaints in relation to breaches of the Code through the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber)
• powers for Scottish Ministers to obtain information and of inspection to monitor compliance and support enforcement. 

The Scottish Government has published a letting agent registration guide to assist those carrying out letting agency work to understand what their business needs to do to prepare for registration, including the minimum level of training they must meet to be admitted.

The guide is available on the Scottish Government’s mygov website.

If you have any further questions, please contact the Scottish Government’s Letting Agent Regulation Team mailbox: lettingagentregulation@gov.scot

Charlotte McHaffie, Scottish Government Policy Lead will be speaking at the SFHA’s Mid-market Rent Forum on 10 May (2pm, SFHA office, Glasgow) and will be happy to answer any questions on the guide. Please contact Zhan McIntyre zmcintyre@sfha.co.uk if you would like to attend.