Tenancy agreements
As a tenant you have a right to a tenancy agreement.
A tenancy agreement is a signed document that sets out the terms of your tenancy. These terms must be agreed between you and your landlord before you sign.
Private residential tenancy
All new private tenancies in Scotland since December 2017 must be a private residential tenancy. Your landlord cannot offer an agreement that reduces your rights set out in the model agreement.
You can view the Scottish Government model tenancy agreement.
What the agreement includes
Your tenancy agreement will explain:
- your rights to have your property repaired
- the eviction grounds your landlord can use
- the eviction process and timescales
- your rent and how often you pay
- your responsibilities to maintain the property
- whether you are allowed pets
- any other legal conditions or restrictions
Your rights
You are entitled to a written tenancy agreement. If you do not have one, you can apply to the court to make your landlord provide it at their expense.
You have legal rights even if you do not have a written agreement. Your landlord cannot charge you for a tenancy agreement.
More advice
Tenancy rights can be complicated. You can get detailed advice from Shelter Scotland in their tenancy agreements section.