Taking your landlord to court
If you have a dispute with your landlord or letting agent, you can apply to a court or tribunal.
Legal action is usually a last resort. You'll need to show you've tried to resolve things before taking legal action.
How to take legal action depends on who you rent your home from.
If you rent from a private landlord or letting agent
You can take legal action against them at the First-tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber).
The tribunal deals with disputes including:
repairs
deposits
problems with tenancy agreements
illegal evictions
In certain cases you can be awarded compensation.
The tribunal is less formal than a court. It’s free to apply, and generally you do not need a solicitor.
Check our guidance on taking your landlord to the tribunal.
If you rent from the council or a housing association
You can take legal action against them at your local sheriff court.
The sheriff court deals with disputes including:
repairs
assignation, which means signing a tenancy over to someone else
succession, which means taking over a tenancy when someone dies
Taking the council or a housing association to court is complicated. You’ll need a solicitor to represent you and help you apply.
Before taking the council or a housing association to court
You must make a written complaint before taking legal action.
Follow our guidance on:
If you have repair problems, follow our guidance on making a complaint about repairs in council or housing association homes.
Getting legal advice
Legal advice can help you decide whether going to court is the right choice.
You may be eligible for free legal advice or legal aid to help with costs.
You can also find a solicitor on the Law Society of Scotland website.
Last updated: 14 June 2023
Housing laws differ between Scotland and England.
This content applies to Scotland only.