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Edinburgh and the Lothians.

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Scottish property law, explained properly

Home Reports, closing dates, missives, the Private Residential Tenancy: Scotland runs its property market quite differently from England, and most of the advice online is English advice with the word Scotland pasted on. These guides aren’t.

Recently reviewed

Buying and selling

Home Reports, closing dates, missives and the tax: the Scottish sale explained for both sides of the table.

Wet cobbles and mews houses on Circus Lane in Stockbridge, with St Stephen's clock tower behind

For sellers

9 min read · reviewed

Selling a home in Scotland: the whole journey, in order

How to sell a house in Scotland: the Home Report, pricing, notes of interest, closing dates, missives and settlement, and where each stage goes wrong.

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Houses above the Water of Leith in Edinburgh's Dean Village

For sellers

6 min read · reviewed

The full cost of selling a home in Scotland

What it costs to sell a house in Scotland: the agency fee, the Home Report, conveyancing, lender charges, and the LBTT a seller never pays.

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Brick terraced houses with brightly painted front doors

For buyers

9 min read · reviewed

Buying a home in Scotland: from first look to keys

How to buy a house in Scotland: mortgage first, solicitor early, the Home Report before you view, and why the bank lends on the valuation, not your bid.

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Looking up a rendered flat facade with tiered bay windows against a blue sky

For buyers and sellers

8 min read · reviewed

The Home Report, explained document by document

Every Scottish home is marketed with a survey, a valuation, an energy report and the seller's answers before anyone offers. What each says, and its limits.

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Rooftops, dormer windows and a spire across central Glasgow

For buyers and sellers

7 min read · reviewed

Offers, closing dates and missives: how a Scottish sale goes under contract

Closing dates, notes of interest, offers over and qualified acceptances: how a Scottish sale goes under contract, and when stepping back stops being free.

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Princes Street Gardens and the National Gallery beneath Edinburgh's Old Town skyline

For buyers

7 min read · reviewed

The full cost of buying a home in Scotland

What it costs to buy a house in Scotland: deposit, LBTT and ADS band by band, solicitor fees and outlays, and the over-valuation gap nobody budgets for.

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Renting and letting

The Private Residential Tenancy and everything that surrounds it, for landlords and tenants.

Red sandstone gables and a clock tower above the Water of Leith in Edinburgh's Dean Village

For landlords and tenants

11 min read · reviewed

The First-tier Tribunal: how a case runs and what it costs

Applying to the Housing and Property Chamber is free. What the Tribunal decides, the stages from form to order, and where the costs fall for each side.

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Brick house frontage with a pale blue front door and clipped hedges

For landlords

8 min read · reviewed

The Scottish landlord compliance checklist

Registration, EPC, EICR, gas safety, interlinked alarms, the Repairing Standard and HMO licensing: everything a Scottish landlord must have, in one list.

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Sandstone tenement terrace in low sun, with a church spire behind

For landlords

7 min read · reviewed

Scottish rent controls in 2026: what landlords need to know

Rent controls in Scotland: the 2025 Act commenced on 1 April 2026, no rent control area exists yet, and the next changes land on 6 October 2026.

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Painted terraced townhouses behind summer trees

For landlords

8 min read · reviewed

What happens when a tenant stops paying rent

Rent arrears in Scotland follow a fixed order: early contact, the pre-action protocol, a Notice to Leave, then the Tribunal. Every step and its timing.

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Teal-painted sitting room with a bay window in a period flat

For landlords and tenants

6 min read · reviewed

The Private Residential Tenancy explained

Every Scottish tenancy since December 2017 is a Private Residential Tenancy: no end date, no fixed term, 18 grounds for eviction. How it works.

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Georgian front door with iron railings in Edinburgh's New Town

For landlords

5 min read · reviewed

Landlord registration in Scotland: a step-by-step guide

Landlord registration in Scotland: who has to register, what each council charges, how to renew, and the £50,000 fine for letting without it.

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A set of house keys on a ring, held out inside a bright flat

For tenants

5 min read · reviewed

Tenancy deposits in Scotland: your rights

Lodged within 30 working days, capped at two months' rent, never used for fair wear and tear: your deposit rights in Scotland, and how to challenge.

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Neutral living room with a fireplace and a white sofa

For tenants

4 min read · reviewed

Why you should never pay a letting agent fee in Scotland

Tenant fees are illegal in Scotland: not capped, not limited, illegal. If you have been charged one, you can recover it through the Tribunal for free.

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These guides are general information, not legal or tax advice. Law and practice change. Check current guidance at mygov.scot and take professional advice on anything that affects your specific position.