Rent increases if you have a private residential tenancy
If you have a private residential tenancy, your landlord:
- can only increase your rent once in a 12-month period
- must give you at least 3 months’ written notice of the increase
There’s no cap on how much they can increase rent by unless the property is in a Rent Pressure Zone. There are currently no Rent Pressure Zones in Scotland.
The form your landlord must use
Your landlord must use a specific rent increase notice.
The rent increase notice must be signed and dated.
Check what a rent increase notice looks like on gov.scot.
If you accept the rent increase, you should return Part 3 of the rent increase notice to your landlord to tell them that.
If your landlord does not use the form
Your landlord cannot increase your rent if they do not use the correct rent increase notice.
If they tell you about a rent increase in any other way, your rent remains unchanged. For example, if they tell you in person.
You should tell your landlord that the correct rent increase notice must be used, and that this is available online.
If you did not get 3 months’ notice
You can return part 3 of the rent increase notice to the landlord, telling them you have not been given enough notice.
You do not need to pay the increased rent until 3 months have passed.
If you do not accept the rent increase
You must return part 3 of the rent increase notice to the landlord, saying that you do not accept the rent increase.
You can then ask Rent Service Scotland to check the rent increase. They will set the rent amount your landlord can charge.
Rent Service Scotland must receive your application within 21 days of you getting a rent increase notice.
How to get Rent Service Scotland to check a rent increase.
What Rent Service Scotland can do
When you apply, a rent officer will review the rent increase and set your rent.
The rent they set may be higher or lower than the increase your landlord asked for.
Rent Service Scotland aim to make a decision within 40 days. They’ll write to you with their decision and next steps, including what to do if you disagree.
How Rent Service Scotland set rents
Rent Service Scotland assess the rent a private landlord could reasonably expect to charge if they were to rent the property to a new tenant on the open market.
This is based on rents private landlords charge for similarly sized properties in your area.
Rent Service Scotland must use the same process for any private residential tenancy, including mid-market rents.
If you disagree with the rent officer’s decision
You can ask the rent officer to review their decision. You must do this within 14 working days of getting the decision.
If you still disagree after the review, you can appeal the decision. To do this, apply to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber). You must do this within 14 working days of getting the review decision.
How to apply to the tribunal
Complete form H (Rent Assessment) and send it to the tribunal. Get form H and notes for completing it on the tribunal's website.
You’ll need to send the tribunal copies of:
- the rent officer’s decision
- the original rent increase notice
There’s no cost to appeal to the tribunal.