West Lothian Council delivers

Becoming a Landlord and Renting Your Property

 

Landlord Registration
 
All private landlords and their agents are required to register with the local authority in which they let a property. The purpose of the scheme is to assess whether landlords and their agents are fit to let houses. It provides the local authority with powers to ensure that landlords who do not act in a 'fit and proper' manner are prevented from letting, unless they are willing to improve their approach.

 It also gives local authorities powers to take specific action against landlords who do not take reasonable steps to manage any anti social behaviour caused by their tenants. In order to become registered, landlords must be found to be 'fit and proper'. The assessment takes into account evidence of:

 

• any offences relating to fraud, dishonesty, violence or drugs
• unlawful discrimination 
• breaches of housing law
• failure to act in relation to anti-social behaviour

 

The Council will take into account these factors and any other relevant information before making a balanced judgement. There are no automatic grounds for refusal. A landlord is committing an offence if they are not registered or in the process of registering. It is possible to check whether a landlord or property is registered by using the landlord registration website (see external site link on the right of the screen). Please ensure that you enter the full address when searching. For more information please have a look at the Scottish Government Landlord Registration website.

Renting your property & West Lothian Home Choice

 

Are you a new landlord who needs help getting started? Are you a letting agent who wants to advertise their properties for FREE? West Lothian Home Choice (external site) can help landlords/letting agents in the letting and running of their properties. We can give advice and support on various issues that may arise in preparing a property and during the tenancy. This will include:

 

• Housing Benefit /Local Housing Allowance
• Council Tax
• Anti Social Behaviour
• Environmental Health
• Legislation & Best Practice Standards
• Accessing other council departments for advice/assistance.
• Creating your property inventories

This exciting portal allows customers in West Lothian to have easier access to a high standard of Private Sector Housing and offers advice and assistance on the website for people looking into Private Letting.

 

To use the website you must be registered with landlord registration Scotland and working to Scottish Core Standards.

 

Working with us gives tenants the peace of mind that you are working to a high standard and have the backing of the local authority. Please have a look at our web portal (external site) for more information and how we can help you as a landlord.

E-Bulletin Newsletter - Letting Matters

West Lothian Council have launched and exciting new E-Newsletter Service for Private Landlords giving them up to date information and advice on all things relating to the sector. It will include information on future training events. Please register for this service by clicking on the link on the right of this screen. 
 
Landlord Accreditation

 

Landlord Accreditation Scotland (LAS) (external site) work in partnership with West Lothian Council to run a series of training events annually for Private Landlords & Letting Agents in partnership with West Lothian Council.

There are three courses in the LAS Core Standards Training Level 1, based on the Scottish Core Standards for Accredited Landlords & Letting Agents.

 

It is not necessary to attend the courses in Level 1 in any particular order; although the courses are linked the topics are dealt with in such a way that the course can be done in any order. The courses are equally suitable for individual landlords or letting agency staff who are new to letting property or for those who have been letting property for some time but who are looking for an update on the topics listed in the course information sheet.

 

Please have a look at West Lothian Home Choice (external site) for more information on the next course on offer.

updated 14/02/2013