Request for rent data

Rent Service Scotland (RSS) is the body which oversees rent setting in Scotland. RSS is reliant on data supplied by landlords and letting agents in Scotland to assist in the assessment of open market rental values in different areas. This data is used as comparable evidence when RSS receives an application from a tenant challenging a rent increase proposed by their landlords. It is also used to assist in the setting of local housing allowance rates for housing benefit.  

Historically SAL members have supplied their rent data to RSS and we would encourage this from members who don’t already do so. It can be supplied using the market evidence form for landlords – gov.scot (www.gov.scot). RSS is also happy to accept the data in any other format which is easily extracted by landlords and agents. The main rental property characteristics required are:

• Full property address including postcode
• The rental amount and frequency
• Any service charges included
• Property type
• Number of bedrooms
• Number of living rooms
• Furnished/unfurnished/partially furnished
• A new advertised letting/renewal/sitting tenant
• Tenancy start date if available

The information supplied is treated in confidence and if it is used as a comparable in a rent increase challenge only the rent amount, street name, town, first part of postcode and number of rooms would be included on the rent determination notice.

Contrary to the information given in the last enews (29 August 2024), RSS have now advised they can accept rent data without the landlord’s name and registration number included.

For letting agents only – guidance for SME users

Any users of the SME software system can generate a report to extract the required data using the instructions here.