SafeDeposits Scotland Blog

The Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 creates a new private residential tenancy for all future lets in the private rented sector. From 1st December 2017 onwards all new tenancies will be a 'private residential tenancy'. The new tenancy will replace Short Assured and Assured Tenancies and will be much clearer and simpler to use. The purpose of the private residential tenancy is to improve security for tenants and provide safeguards for landlords, lenders and investors. The...Read More

If you rent your home, your landlord or letting agent will usually ask you for a deposit. You pay a deposit as a promise you will follow the terms of your tenancy agreement (for example, the tenancy agreement may specify that you need to: pay a certain amount of rent every month, make sure the property is as clean when you move out as it was when you moved in, not damage the property or its contents, etc.). There should be a deposit clause in your tenancy agreement which specifies what terms...Read More

DJ Alexander is the largest agency in Central Scotland. Here, its Associate Director Rob Trotter guides you through how agents can save you money and significantly reduce the burden that leasing often brings. Every landlord needs a tenant, so having the backing of an agency that can attract high quality tenants is invaluable for any rental venture. When selecting an agent to work with, landlords should look for an organisation that has a strong reputation in the market. A good agent will...Read More

If your deposit is held by SafeDeposits, you need to follow the repayment steps below to claim your deposit back. Your deposit will not be repaid automatically. If you would prefer to watch a video, the repayment steps are also explained on our YouTube channel. Before you begin We sent you a welcome email or letter when your deposit was first transferred to us, which confirms: The deposit account number (DAN) for your deposit You share this reference with your landlord, letting...Read More

SafeDeposits Scotland's operations manager Victoria Nixon answers some of the thornier questions posed to the team by landlords and letting agents. Q: What should I do if one half of a joint tenancy moves out but refuses to respond to the tenant changeover request? A: The tenant changeover function has been intentionally designed to help in case of this situation: if the tenant fails to respond to the request, it will 'time out' after 15 working days. This means you can...Read More

Ask SafeDeposits: Can I change who the lead tenant is? In our "What does 'lead tenant' mean?" blog post, we explain the role of a lead tenant as a spokesperson in a joint tenancy, communicating all tenant's wishes during the repayment process. It's only the lead tenant that can enter a repayment request or respond to a request entered by a landlord or letting agent - so it's important that the lead tenant engages with the repayment process so we can...Read More