Private rent

Your rights and responsibilities

As a private tenant, you have rights and responsibilities. It is important to follow the rules in your tenancy agreement.

You can read more about your rights on the Scottish Government website.

Landlord responsibilities

Private landlords have legal responsibilities. They must:

  • give you a tenancy agreement and a Tenant Information Pack when your tenancy begins
  • issue the correct paperwork before they can evict you
  • make repairs to your home
  • agree to reasonable requests for adaptations

Tied tenancy

If your tenancy is linked to your job, your rights may be different. Find out more on Shelter Scotland about tied tenancies and your rights.

Even if you have a tied tenancy, your landlord cannot evict you without the correct paperwork.

More advice

You can get advice on:

  • disputes
  • rent
  • tenancies
  • shared accommodation
  • repairs

Visit Rent Service Scotland for more information for tenants and landlords.

Page last modified: 19 January 2026