Many landlords in Scotland get little or no direct communication from local councils despite being part of the landlord registration system, a new survey finds.

Instead, they often rely on passive updates such as emails or media coverage, creating a false sense of confidence that they are compliant, according to SafeDeposits Scotland Charitable Trust. It found that landlords are struggling to keep up with rapidly changing regulations, increasing the risk of accidental breaches across the private rented sector.

It found that landlords are more likely to be motivated by wanting to provide safe rental homes than by fear of enforcement action or penalties.

However, while most wanted to comply with regulations and viewed themselves as responsible providers of housing, many faced barriers including unclear guidance, complex rules, rising costs, and difficulties accessing tradespeople to carry out required work. Just 41% of landlords felt able to keep up with changes affecting the sector, down from 51% in 2024.

Bias

It adds that the current combination of perceived bias, lack of recognition, and punitive regulation have contributed to feelings of resentment and disengagement, causing some landlords to question the sustainability of remaining in the sector.

SafeDeposits Scotland believes that if communication was improved, councils could free up resources to go after criminal and rogue landlords.

Sources

Head of policy, Dr Jennifer Harris, says too often, landlords are piecing together information from multiple sources and hoping they have not missed something important. She adds: “If reforms to the private rented sector are going to succeed, landlords need clearer communication, simpler systems and more practical support to comply with the rules.”

SafeDeposits Scotland suggests creating a single ‘one-stop-shop’ online hub for all Scottish PRS regulation and guidance, as well as expanding practical compliance tools including templates and checklists and developing approved contractor and tradesperson lists to help complete required works. It says targeted financial support is needed to help landlords meet future energy efficiency requirements.

SAL

Scottish Association of Landlords chief executive, John Blackwood, says the findings support several points that SAL has been making for some time.

"In particular, it found that landlords are not primarily motivated by deterrence or enforcement; instead, they are driven by the relationships they have with their tenants in helping sustain tenancies, which is in everyone’s interests,” he tells LandlordZONE. "SAL maintains that the solution to the housing emergency lies in creating market conditions that encourage further investment and confidence to increase the supply of housing and we will make this point to the new Cabinet Secretary for Housing when we meet with her."

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