Fact sheet: Safeguarding Tenancy Deposits (Scotland)

The modern rental property is working harder than ever, with millions of people adopting remote or hybrid work patterns in the last five years and spending more time at home. This increased usage isn’t unreasonable: it’s reality. But under current rules, tenants are being penalised for “damage” that’s normal use, whilst landlords are absorbing more frequent replacement costs. Propertymark emphasises the importance of understanding fair wear and tear and applying it appropriately to avoid misunderstanding, confusion, and disputes.

A survey of 1,500 UK renters has revealed that three in ten tenancies do not benefit from a property inventory, leaving agents, landlords, and tenants more vulnerable to costly disputes further down the line.

Lettings agents must protect the interests of landlords, tenants, and their agencies, so understanding the basics of deposit protection is key and knowing the do’s and don’ts will help minimise disputes and reduce the risk of costly penalties.

Propertymark continues to assert there is no advantage to introducing rent controls and urges Scottish Ministers to properly evaluate the evidence both from UK and across the world. Whilst formulating our response to the most recent engagement questionnaire we hosted a roundtable with members and Scottish Government officials where the strength of feeling from agents was clearly communicated.