Finding a private rented home

Private rented homes are usually advertised online.

You can rent from a landlord or through a letting agency. The landlord is the owner of the property. Letting agents are companies that landlords hire to manage their property for them.

In Scotland all new private tenancies are open-ended, which means there’s no end date. This gives you strong rights.

Where to find a home

Most private rented homes are advertised online. Check websites like S1 Homes, Rightmove, Zoopla, Gumtree, OpenRent, and Spareroom.

You could also try:

• contacting local letting agencies to ask if they have homes available

• checking local social media groups, notice boards or newspaper listings

• asking your friends, family or colleagues if they know about any homes for rent

What to check

An advert for a private rented home should usually tell you:

• how much the rent is per calendar month (pcm)

• how much the deposit is

• how many rooms there are

• if it’s furnished, which means furniture is included

• when the home is available to move in

• if pets are allowed

• the landlord or letting agent registration number

• whether the property has an HMO (house of multiple occupation) licence, which you might need if you're moving in with flatmates

Checking landlord and letting agent registration

Most private landlords and all letting agents must be registered.

By law, landlords and letting agents must include their registration number in property adverts. Be wary of adverts that do not include it.

Check their registration on:

• the Scottish landlord register

• the letting agent register

Some private landlords do not have to be registered. Check our advice on landlord registration.

Asking for a viewing

If you find a home you’re interested in, request to see it at a viewing.

Check the advert to find out how to arrange a viewing, usually by phone, email or online contact form.

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Going to a viewing

View the property in person if you can, or send a trusted person to view it for you. Some landlords and letting agencies offer online viewings.

Never agree to pay for anything until you've seen the property and checked the landlord's registration details.

What to check

Look around all the rooms and ask questions. Bring someone else along who can help you decide if the home is right for you.

Check:

• the average costs for heating and electricity

• if any costs are included in the rent, such as internet or other utilities

• whether the location suits you – for example, if there’s enough public transport or parking spaces

• what council tax band the home is in

• if any furniture is included

Look out for repair issues like faulty windows or signs of damp and mould. There's a legal repair standard for private tenancies. Ask when any issues will be fixed.

If you're interested in the property

Let the landlord or letting agent know as soon as possible.

If a few people are interested in a property, the landlord or letting agent can choose who they want to rent it to.

Checks the landlord or letting agent can do

Before you're offered a tenancy, the landlord or letting agent may check:

• your identity

• your income, through payslips or bank statements

• your credit rating

• a reference from a previous landlord

Your new landlord or letting agency cannot charge you for any of these checks. 

If you ask your previous landlord to write you a reference, they may charge you a fee.

Landlords and letting agents cannot ask about your immigration status. Checks of your ‘right to rent’ are valid in England but do not apply in Scotland.

Showing you can afford the rent

Landlords and letting agents often do checks to make sure you have enough income to pay the rent. 

If you do not pass the checks, to show you can afford the rent, you could:

• offer to pay up to 6 months' rent in advance

• use a guarantor – check Citizens Advice Scotland’s guidance on guarantors

If you get benefits, this should be treated the same as any other income. Being treated differently because you get benefits could be discrimination, for example:

• if an advert says ‘no DSS’, which means no benefits

• if you’re refused a viewing or a tenancy because you get benefits

Check our advice on challenging benefits discrimination.

If you’re offered a tenancy

You'll get a tenancy agreement, which will tell you how much the rent is, when it's due and how it should be paid.

Before you sign it or pay any money, check that the landlord or letting agent is registered. You can find their details on the tenancy agreement. 

Read the agreement in full to make sure you agree with all the conditions. If there’s anything you do not understand, ask the landlord or letting agent to explain it.

If you noticed any repair issues, ask the landlord or letting agent to confirm when they will be fixed in writing.

Your tenancy rights

You must be given a private residential tenancy agreement, sometimes called a PRT. You should also be given notes that explain the agreement in simple terms. Check our advice on your rights in a private residential tenancy.

The agreement is not valid if it says ‘assured tenancy’, short assured tenancy’ or anything else. By law, you have a private residential tenancy and the rights that come with it. 

If you're not given a written agreement, you can go to a tribunal to get one. Check our advice on getting a tenancy agreement. 

Paying a deposit and rent in advance

Landlords and letting agents can charge a deposit of up to 2 months’ rent.

Landlords and letting agents usually ask you to pay some rent in advance. Most ask for 1 or 2 months’ rent in advance. They can ask for up to 6 months' rent.

They cannot charge unlawful fees, for example:

• fees for credit checks or reference checks

• other administration fees

• holding fees, key money or premiums

Check our advice on deposits and unlawful fees.

If you need help to pay your deposit or rent

Check our advice to see if you could get:

• help to pay a deposit and rent in advance

• Universal Credit to help pay rent

• Housing Benefit, if you're pension age

• Discretionary Housing Payment from the council

Check your other housing options

If you cannot find a private rented home that suits your needs and budget, you could try:

• applying for social housing

• looking for mid-market rents