Prescribed information comes under The Private Landlord Registration (Information) (Scotland) Regulations 2019.
Prescribed information is the information landlords must provide when they apply for a new or to renew their landlords’ registration. This information will help us decide whether an applicant is fit and proper to let houses. The aim is to improve standards in the Private Rented Sector (PRS) by
- raising landlords’ awareness about their legal responsibilities
- making sure landlords declare whether or not they comply with their legal responsibilities about property management and care.
Please note that this means all private landlords self-declaring and evidencing (when requested) that their certifications, for example, gas safety are current and valid.
Landlords will be asked about:
- – landlords should be aware of their duties under the Tolerable and Repairing Standards.
- – all rental properties that use gas, must have a current gas safety certificate.
- – all rental properties must have an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR).
- – all rental properties with portable appliances, supplied by the landlord, including white goods, must have a Portable Appliance Test (PAT).
- – all rental properties must have adequate smoke / heat detection.
- – all rental properties with a gas supply, or a solid fuel appliance must have a carbon monoxide (CO) detector.
- – landlords with a private water supply to their property must tell their tenants about this, risk assess and test the water supply to make sure it's safe to drink. Scottish Water supply the majority of properties in Scotland; only 3% of properties in Scotland have a private water supply.
- – all rental properties with a few exemptions must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
- – all rental properties must have a risk assessment carried out, and landlords must tell their tenants about the risks of legionella and give advice on how to minimise these risks.
- – all rental flats or properties in a tenement must have adequate insurance in place.
- - all landlords must be aware of their obligations surrounding communal repairs.
- – Where a deposit is taken it must be lodged within a deposit scheme and landlords should be aware of and have met their tenancy deposit obligations.
These regulations do not place any new duties on a landlord, but makes sure they declare they are meeting their legal responsibilities. So, this change should have minimal impact on landlords who are already meeting the existing standards.