Repair standards if you’re a private tenant
Your landlord is legally responsible for the property meeting a set of standards so it’s safe to rent. It’s their responsibility even if you rent from a letting agent.
Your landlord must repair the property if it fails to meet the standards. If they do not, you can take them to a housing tribunal.
The standards your landlord must meet
Your landlord must make sure the property meets both:
- the repairing standard
- the tolerable standard
These include requirements for your landlord to maintain both:
- the property
- any communal areas, like stairwells and closes
Get detailed guidance on the repairing standard on gov.scot. This includes information on the tolerable standard.
What to check in the property
The following list is a summary of some of the main requirements in the standards.
The building and exterior
The property must:
- be structurally stable
- be wind and watertight
- be free from serious damp and mould
- have a proper entrance and enough access to outside doors
- have enough ventilation, light, heating and insulation
- have any walls and roof in reasonable condition
Your landlord must make sure you can get to and use any communal areas safely.
Electrical safety
Your landlord must make sure the electrical system:
- is safe, working and in reasonable condition, including sockets and light fittings
- has a safety inspection by a registered electrician at least once every 5 years
The electrical system must have a Residual Current Device (RCD). This is a safety feature that switches the electricity off automatically if there’s a fault.
Your landlord must make sure appliances they supply are safe and regularly inspected. For example, cookers and kettles.
Gas safety
Your landlord must make sure any gas supply or equipment is:
- safely installed and maintained by a Gas Safe registered engineer
- working and in a reasonable condition
- checked annually by a registered engineer
Fire safety
Your landlord must make sure the property has:
- interlinked smoke alarms in the living room and every hallway and landing
- a heat alarm in the kitchen
- a carbon monoxide detector in all spaces with a carbon fuelled appliance, such as a heater or boiler
If you’re deaf or hard of hearing, your landlord must also install specialist smoke and fire alarms.
Get detailed guidance on fire and smoke alarm standards on gov.scot.
Tenements must have emergency exit doors fitted. These must have locks that you can open from the inside without a key.
Water and sewerage systems
Your landlord must make sure the property has a working:
- water supply that’s safe to use
- toilet
- drainage and sewerage system
It must also have a sink, a bath or shower, and a wash basin. These must have hot and cold water.
Food and cooking
Your landlord must make sure the property has:
- a suitable area to use for storing and preparing food
- cooking facilities or somewhere you can install your own
Furniture and fittings
Your landlord must make sure any furniture and fittings they provide are in reasonable condition and safe to use. This includes things like carpets and equipment.
Legionella health risks
Your landlord must assess the property for health risks associated with legionella. This is a form of pneumonia that can be deadly.
If the property does not meet the standards
Your landlord must:
- repair the property so it meets the standards
- follow rules for getting access to do repairs
- do the repairs in a reasonable amount of time, unless the problem is damp and mould which has strict timescales for repair
- pay for the repairs, unless damage was specifically caused by you
You must report repair issues to your landlord, so that they can investigate and get repair work done.
Getting damp or mould repaired
If you have damp or mould in your home, tell your landlord as soon as possible.
Damp and mould can affect your health.
Your landlord must:
- inspect the issue within 10 working days
- send you a written summary of what they found within 3 working days of finishing the inspection
If the inspection finds substantial damp or mould in your home, your landlord must:
- start repairs within 5 working days of finishing the inspection
- complete the repairs as soon as possible
- make sure your home stays free from serious damp and mould
If your landlord cannot inspect or repair the damp and mould in time
If your landlord cannot meet these deadlines, they must tell you:
- why they cannot inspect and repair the issue
- when they expect to inspect or repair it
They must also do what they can to reduce the damp and mould until they can inspect and repair it.
Get detailed guidance on getting damp and mould repaired on gov.scot.
Read the easy read version on gov.scot.