Cullen Property Blog

Landlord Registration In Edinburgh - Edinburgh Letting Agent Advice

Hello Readers! Welcome back to the blog. In today’s Edinburgh Letting Agent Advice piece, we are discussing landlord registration in Edinburgh – in particular what it is, why it’s important, how to register and the fees associated with doing so.

First of all, it’s important to define what landlord registration in Edinburgh is!

What Is Landlord Registration In Edinburgh?

What Is Landlord Registration In Edinburgh?

Landlord registration is the process of registering your status as a landlord with your local Council to ensure that you are deemed ‘a fit and proper person’ to let your property. This is a very important part to ensure compliance within the sector and that the market is regulated. By registering, your name will appear on a publically viewable register of other landlords. Whether you are self-managing your rental property or instructing an Agent, the Council must be notified with all parties associated with the ongoing management of the asset (arranging repairs and collecting tenant rental payments).

As one of Edinburgh’s leading Edinburgh letting agencies, we play our part in the industry by offering free and impartial advice to ensure that those operating within the sector are doing so responsibly and compliantly. If you feel like you could benefit from the invaluable help and guidance that our team could provide you, then please feel free to contact us today!

Do I Need To Register As An Edinburgh Landlord?

Do I Need To Register As An Edinburgh Landlord?

Yes – absolutely. It is a criminal offence to rent out your property without registering with your local Council. If you are an Edinburgh-based landlord, and are not registered yet, we advise that you register with Edinburgh council immediately by clicking here. Failure to do so can in fact result in a maximum penalty of £50,000, so don’t be caught out – ignorance is no excuse in the eye of the law! For more advice from Edinburgh Council, which is kept up to date, click here.

Fees For Landlord Registration In Edinburgh

Fees For Landlord Registration In Edinburgh

The fee payable for each landlord application was £67 plus an additional £15 for each property on your portfolio. Failure to make a timely application, a late application fee of £133 was also payable prior to April 1st, 2022. Since April 1st, 2022, landlord fees have since been amended to £68 for landlord registration plus £16 for each property with a late application fee of £137.

According to Landlord Registration Scotland, any exemptions or discounts that are available are automatically applied if:

  • there is no fee for HMO properties
  • there is no fee for Scottish registered charities
  • for joint/multiple owners only the lead owner has to pay the principal fee, all other owners can apply free of charge
  • when you apply online to more than one local authority you receive a 50% discount to the principal fee reducing it to £34 per local authority
  • fees apply differently if you apply through your local authority rather than online - if applying through your local authority for each application you will pay the full principal fee of £68

Please note, fees cannot be refunded if an application is refused.

How Do I Apply For Landlord Registration In Edinburgh?

How Do I Apply For Landlord Registration In Edinburgh?

You will need to visit the landlord registration website by clicking here. Before starting your application, you will need to gather information about the following:

  • Any criminal convictions and court or tribunal judgements
  • Any licenses or registrations you hold. Or have had refused or revoked, relating to letting or managing property
  • Any accreditations you hold or have had refused or revoked, relating to letting or managing property
  • Repairing standards enforcements orders (RSEOs), issued to you or your tenants
  • Addresses for the past 5 years
  • Addresses of all your rental properties
  • Details of any letting agents managing your property on your behalf
  • Personal phone number
  • Personal email address
  • Details of all owners, including their contact details and landlord registration numbers
  • Gas safety certificate, EICR (or current electrical installation certificate), Electrical appliance test details, fire smoke and heat detection details, carbon monoxide, public water supply, EPC ratings, Legionella Risk Assessment, rental property insurance, common repairs details and tenancy deposits.
  • Most importantly, a credit or debit card to pay for any fees as listed above!

 

At Cullen Property, we play our part in helping the landlords of Edinburgh let in a compliant way, and offer unbeatable levels of attentive customer service to make sure that you are on the right tracks. If all of the above sounds like a lot of work we’re happy to help. Simply contact us or receive a free and instant rental valuation on our website and one of our expert team will get in touch!