How to complain about your private landlord
Write to your landlord to make a complaint about them. If you’re not happy with their response, you can report them to the council and take them to a tribunal.
When to complain
Make a complaint if your landlord has done something wrong, such as:
not doing repairs or safety checks
entering your home without permission or without giving enough notice
harassing you or trying to evict you without following the right process
The specific rules your landlord must follow depends on what kind of tenancy you have. Check our advice on your rights if you rent your home.
If you rent from a letting agency, they have to follow extra rules. Check our advice on complaining to a letting agency.
Step 1: contact your landlord informally
Talk to your landlord if you can. Explain what the problem is and tell them what effect it’s having on you.
If you ask them, the issue could be fixed.
Get any agreements in writing so there are no misunderstandings.
Step 2: write to your landlord
Write a letter or email:
explaining what the problem is and how you want it to be fixed
asking them to confirm a timeframe to solve the problem
telling them that you’ll take further action if your problem is not fixed
Keep proof of any letters or emails you send.
Your landlord’s address should be in your tenancy agreement and on the Scottish Landlord Register.
Reporting an unregistered landlord
If your landlord is not on the register, you can report them to the council. It’s against the law to be an unregistered landlord and they could be fined.
Check our advice on what to do if your landlord is not registered.
Complaining about repair problems
Use our letter templates to complain about repairs. Copy and paste the sample text and personalise it with your details. Delete any parts that do not apply to you.
Attach any evidence you have, such as copies of previous letters you've sent or photos of the repair problems.
Letter template: complain about repairs to your landlord or letting agent
Subject: Repairs not done at <your address>
To <your landlord's name>
I contacted you on <date> to ask for repair work at <your address>.
The repairs needed are <describe the repairs>. These repairs have still not been done.
I have checked my rights on the Shelter Scotland website. You have a duty to make sure my home meets the repairing standard in section 13 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. Currently my home does not meet this standard, and you must do the repairs within a reasonable time.
I believe it's reasonable for the repair work to be done within <number of days> because of the effect it's having on me.
<Give details, for example: it's causing damage to my home / affecting my health / making my home unsafe>
Please contact me within 2 working days to confirm when the repairs will be done.
If you do not arrange for the repairs to be done, I will apply to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) for an enforcement order.
Thank you,
<your name>
<your phone number>
<date>
You can also send the letter as an email attachment or through the post:
Word template: make a complaint about repairs to your private landlord (docx, 16 kb)
OpenDocument template: make a complaint about repairs to your private landlord (odt 9KB)
Letter template: complain about repair work done badly
Subject: Repairs not done properly at <your address>
To <your landlord's name>
I am writing to report a problem with the repair work that was carried out on <date repairs were done> at <your address>.
When the repairs were carried out <example: the work was not finished / the problem was not fixed / the work caused damage to my belongings>.
I have checked my rights on Shelter Scotland’s website, and you are responsible for making sure repairs are done properly.
I ask that you <example: arrange for the repairs to be completed / redo the work / compensate me for the damage to my belongings>.
Please contact me within 5 working days to confirm how the problem will be resolved.
Thank you,
<your name>
<your phone number>
<date>
You can also send the letter as an email attachment or through the post:
Word template: report repairs done badly (docx ,16 kb)
OpenDocument template: report repairs done badly (odt, 8 kb)
Step 3: if you’re unhappy with your landlord’s response
You can:
report them to the council's private renting team
apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber)
Reporting your landlord to the council
The council can contact your landlord to help solve the problem.
If your landlord has broken the law, they could be fined or banned from renting out property.
Write to the council to explain the issue and how you’ve tried to solve it. Send a copy to your landlord.
Find your council's website on mygov.scot.
Applying to the tribunal
The tribunal can order your landlord to follow the law, and in some cases to pay you compensation.
It’s free to apply to the tribunal. It’s less formal than a court and you usually do not need a solicitor.
Check our advice on taking your landlord to the tribunal.
If you're worried about being evicted
It’s illegal for your landlord to evict you for complaining about them.
They must follow a strict legal process to evict you, and you have the right to challenge the eviction.
If your landlord forces you out illegally, or evicts you for a false reason, you could get compensation.
Check our advice on eviction from a private tenancy.
Last updated: 2 September 2024
Housing laws differ between Scotland and England.
This content applies to Scotland only.