Category: Legislation

Navigating Scottish Planning Rules for Garden Offices

For landlords in Scotland navigating a complex property market and new legislation, they are exploring ways to make their lets more attractive. As often discussed on the Citylets ‘Lets Talk’ podcast channel, staying ahead of tenant needs is crucial for maintaining low void periods in a professional market. Garden buildings are a practical and effective …

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Lets Talk with Rory Cowan of BKF & Co

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 represents one of the most wide-ranging reforms of Scotland’s private rented sector in recent years. Since Rory Cowan of BKF & Co last joined the podcast in 2022, rent controls have returned to the centre of housing policy, alongside a broader strengthening of tenant protections. While the Act has now …

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First-tier Tribunal Report 2023 to 2024

In what is set to be a pretty full-on year for the Private Rented Sector (PRS), a gentle introduction to 2026 is provided by examining the most recent report on the work of the First-tier Tribunal: Housing and Property Chamber (the Tribunal) and what that may say about the broader PRS as a whole. The …

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Awaab’s Law in Scotland’s Private Rented Sector

On 21st January 2026 draft regulations – Top of Form Bottom of Form The Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026 – were laid before the Scottish Parliament. The regulations are a significant milestone in Scotland’s efforts to improve rented housing conditions by introducing new duties on private landlords to strengthen tenants’ rights and …

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The Scottish Government Needs to Ensure the Building Safety Levy Doesn’t Undermine Efforts to Increase Housing Supply 

With ‘More Homes Scotland’ announced on 22 January, the Scottish Government will need to avoid introducing legislation that would be a barrier to the delivery of new homes. With the Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill having passed Stage 1 of the Scottish Parliament’s legislative process on 8 January 2026, Propertymark continues to highlight that introducing an additional blanket charge on new …

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Different Stages of Dispute Resolution

January has arrived and with it comes an influx of gym memberships and diets, with everyone making their New Year’s resolutions as they begin 2026 with new goals, aspirations, and plans. The word “resolution” however is what’s known as a homonym, and here we’re talking about a completely different meaning for the word – as …

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