Introduction to Scottish secure tenancies

As from 30 September 2002, the Scottish secure tenancy replaced the previous system of secure and assured tenancies for tenants whose landlord is a local authority or registered social landlord.

The Scottish secure tenancy was introduced by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001. As a result, a tenant of those landlords will generally be a Scottish secure tenant, except in defined circumstances when s/he will have a short Scottish secure tenancy.

Tenants who have a short assured tenancy with a registered social landlord will not have these tenancies converted automatically to a Scottish secure tenancy. Landlords will be expected to review the tenancy and end it using the relevant procedures in the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988. A Scottish secure tenancy would then be offered once the short assured tenancy is brought to an end. If the relevant conditions are met, the landlord would have the option of offering a short Scottish secure tenancy.

Tenants of private sector landlords are entirely unaffected by the introduction of the Scottish secure tenancy.