Get Rent Service Scotland to check a rent increase

If you have a private residential tenancy, Rent Service Scotland can check your rent increase and set the rent your landlord can charge.

If you do not have a private residential tenancy, there are different rules for rent increases.

How long you have to apply

Rent Service Scotland must receive your application within 21 days of the date you got your rent increase notice.

They cannot give any extension to this 21 day deadline or accept any late applications.

What Rent Service Scotland can do

When you apply, a rent officer will review the rent increase and set your rent.

They'll do this by assessing the 'open market' rent, based on rents for similar properties in your area.

The amount they set can be higher or lower than the increase your landlord is asking for.

They’ll aim to make this decision within 40 days.

Before you apply

Before you apply to Rent Service Scotland, you must return part 3 of the rent increase notice to your landlord.

This is so your landlord knows that you:

• do not accept their proposed rent increase
• plan to apply to Rent Service Scotland for them to set the rent

Details you’ll need for the application form

For your application to Rent Service Scotland, you’ll need:

• your name
• the name of anyone you want to act for you
• the property’s address
• the current rent
• the new rent
• your landlord's name and address
• the letting agent’s name and address, if there is one
• a copy of your inventory, if you have one

You’ll also need to give information about your home, including:

• the number of rooms
• furniture the landlord has provided
• details about heating and glazing
• any communal areas or outdoor spaces
• any improvements the landlord has made during your tenancy

Someone from Rent Service Scotland may need to visit the property to help them make a decision. The form will ask you for any dates you're not available.

Other documents you'll need

As part of sending your application to Rent Service Scotland, you must include copies of both:

• your tenancy agreement
• the rent increase notice your landlord sent you

Send copies, do not send the original documents.

You can send these documents as:

• scanned copies
• electronic copies, such as a PDF version
• photos of the documents taken on your smartphone
• photocopies

Start your application

Use our online tool to create a completed application form.

You must then download the completed form and send it to Rent Service Scotland, along with the other documents they need.

The form you’ll create is called a ‘Referral by a tenant to a rent officer’ form.

You must send the completed application form to Rent Service Scotland along with the other documents they need.

We do not store any of the details you enter. Find out more about our use of data.

You must enter all details. You cannot save progress and return later.

Start

If you need help

You can contact Rent Service Scotland if you need help completing your application.

Email

rss.dundee@gov.scot

Phone

0300 244 7000
Monday to Friday, 9:30am to 4:30pm
Find out about call charges on GOV.UK.