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Notify your landlord of repairs under the repairing standard (Scotland)
Scotland · in English · for tenants
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For a private tenant in Scotland whose home needs repairs — damp and mould, a broken boiler, leaks, faulty electrics. The tribunal’s Housing and Property Chamber publishes a free sample notification letter; this letter does the same job in full. It notifies your landlord in writing of each problem, with dated photos, reminds them that the home must meet the repairing standard throughout the tenancy, asks to arrange an inspection within 14 days and confirms you will keep paying the rent. Notifying the landlord is the step required before a free application to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland. Send it by recorded delivery and keep a copy.
- Made for use in Scotland
- Last updated October 29, 2026
- Document in English
Where a UK document reproduces the words of legislation or of a government publication — UK, Scottish or Northern Irish — it contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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When to use this document
- Your rented flat in Scotland has damp and mould and the landlord is doing nothing.
- The boiler has broken and you have no heating or hot water, and the agent ignores your calls.
- The roof has been leaking for months and you want written proof that you told the landlord.
- You want your landlord to fix the home before you go to the housing tribunal.
What you fill in
The details the document asks for.
- Tenant
- Tenant's address
- Town or city
- Tenant's postcode
- Date
- Landlord
- Landlord's address
- Landlord's postcode
- The repairs needed, room by room, and when each problem began
- Date you first told the landlord (optional)
- Effect on your health, belongings or use of the home (optional)
- When you can give access for an inspection or repairs (optional)
Common questions
- Do I have to tell my landlord before applying to the tribunal about repairs in Scotland?
- Yes. You can apply to the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) only after notifying your landlord of the work needed (Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, s 22(3)), and you should give a reasonable time for it to be done. Keep a copy of this letter and proof of sending. The application is free; the Chamber publishes the form and a sample notification letter, and the tribunal hears current tenants.
- What can the Housing and Property Chamber order a landlord in Scotland to do?
- If the home does not meet the repairing standard, the tribunal can make a repairing standard enforcement order, saying what work the landlord must do and by when. It may inspect the home first. If the landlord does not comply, the tribunal can make a rent relief order reducing the rent, and failing to comply is an offence. Shelter Scotland and Citizens Advice Scotland explain each step free of charge.
- Should I stop paying rent in Scotland while repairs are outstanding?
- No. Unpaid rent can be relied on as an eviction ground even if the home is in poor condition, and it weakens your position at the tribunal. Keep paying, notify the landlord in writing and, if nothing happens, apply to the tribunal. Shelter Scotland and Citizens Advice Scotland give free advice on your situation, and your council’s private housing team can also be asked to help.
How you can sign this document
- Print it and sign by hand. The signature lines in the document are left blank on purpose — sign on them in ink.
- Sign it yourself with a qualified electronic signature. If you already hold a QES — Evrotrust, B-Trust, StampIT, ZealiD or any qualified provider on the EU Trusted List, on a card, a USB token, in a mobile app or in the cloud — our signing guide explains step by step how to sign this exact file without invalidating it. Step-by-step help, and a way to check it worked
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