News archives
Rent increase notice template
A few members have asked if any of the rent increase notice templates will change as a result of the government ending the remaining restrictions on rent increases at the end of March. SAL has checked with the government and been advised that it will not be making any...
Private renting in Aberdeenshire
Message from Aberdeenshire Council: To encourage more people to consider renting privately as a housing option, we are keen to make sure as many landlords as possible are aware that Aberdeenshire Council can assist with advertising any vacant property via the...
Is your lead testing lab UKAS accredited?
Since 1 March 2024 the Repairing Standard legislation has required landlords to ensure their rental properties are free of lead pipes from the boundary stopcock to the kitchen tap. If the landlord is uncertain about whether their property contains lead pipes then a...
SAL in the media
Read the latest articles SAL has featured in over to in the last week: 12 February 2025 – Property 118 – Green Party claims rent controls will solve London’s housing crisis 8 February 2025 – Landlord Today – Political pressure driving...
SAL gives evidence to parliament on Housing (Scotland) Bill
SAL has given evidence to parliament as part of its stage 1 scrutiny of the Housing (Scotland) Bill. SAL chief executive John Blackwood has taken part in two oral evidence sessions before the Local Government, Housing & Planning Committee. A coalition of...
Buy-to-let market update
BY: Doug Hall, director, 3mc Welcome to ‘Buy-to-let Market’, a column aimed at providing you with recent criteria and product updates within the buy-to-let (BTL) lending markets. The information within this article is correct as at 31/01/2025. BTL market update:...
SAL in the media
Following on from the results of our recent landlord and letting agent surveys, here are the latest articles in the media featuring SAL: 4 February 2025 – LBC – Scottish housing minister ‘siding with landlords’ as rent caps to be scrapped,...
Scottish Homebuilding and Renovating Show
The Scottish Homebuilding and Renovating Show, Scotland’s only dedicated consumer exhibition for self-builders, home renovators and improvers, is back at SEC, Glasgow on 10 – 11 May 2025. The organisers have announced a second Scottish show for 2025, taking place at...
Who is responsible for council tax?
Council tax legislation sets out a hierarchy of people who are responsible for council tax which can be read here. The first person in the hierarchy list for the period in question is responsible for paying the council tax for that period. Put simply, in the case of a...
Energy efficiency / EPC update
Following a public consultation in 2023, the Scottish Government has announced reforms it will make to EPCs to improve their quality and better align them to net zero policy objectives. The government intends to introduce new EPC regulations in the Scottish Parliament...