We’ve talked about using a letting agent to help guarantee smooth running of your rental property and remove headaches for landlords.

But if you’re still considering whether or not to become a landlord in Glasgow, there are some steps you need to take to ensure safety and compliance.

By following these simple guides you can protect yourself and your tenants, plus avoid hefty potential fines for not meeting requirements.

Register as a landlord in Glasgow

Before you even advertise your property to rent, you need to have registered as a landlord with your local authority – and remember to renew every three years.

It’s illegal to take in a tenant without being registered and the fine for doing so can run to several thousand pounds.

Even if you think your circumstances don’t require registration (e.g. renting to a family member) we’d advise you to check with the Council anyway to be sure.

Get the required certification

There are various assessments that your rental property will need to undergo, with the results available for prospective tenants to see.

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), awarded by an accredited assessor, will display a rating for your heating, insulation, windows and other factors.

This will help tenants see how your building performs from an environmental POV and also give an indication of how much their energy bills may be.

Other required testing and certification will include regular PAT (portable appliance testing), gas safety inspections and EICR’s.

Interlinked smoke detectors and heat alarms will also be required, with the number depending on the size of your property, again with regular testing.

If possible, it’s best if any inspections and testing are carried out when the property is unoccupied or between tenancies.

Advertise correctly

Now you’re registered as a Glasgow landlord and your property is compliant and safe, you’re ready to attract some tenants.

The content of your advert is important, you’ll need to include:

• Your landlord registration number
• How many people you are expecting to rent the property to (multiple occupancy properties will be subject to further specialist licences)
• Council tax band
• Anything you don’t want? (But remember not to be discriminatory)

Deposits

Any deposits paid by tenants must be registered with an approved scheme, meaning that any monies are held by an impartial third party.

These are kept secure in case of any disputes over your property’s cleanliness, contents or other matters requiring addressing financially.

We advise a comprehensive written and photographic inventory, detailing your property before anyone moves in, to compare against when they leave.

Glasgow lettings agency

If you’re keen to become a landlord or already have property in Glasgow that you rent, it may help to consult with a letting agent service.

We can help with:

• Removing hassle and inconvenience
• Saving time and money
• Offering tenants a 24/7 facility to report maintenance issues

– or simply providing peace-of-mind from a compliance point-of-view.

Speak to a member of our team today to get started on your way to becoming a landlord in Glasgow.