To be sure that you are providing good quality accommodation, keep up to date with current ideas on best practice, and be informed of new developments, there are plenty of people who can help you.
Join a landlords' organisation
Landlords organisations and associations can provide their members with advice and information, and lobby government and local authorities on matters affecting private rented housing. They range from very small, local groups to major national organisations. While their criteria for membership vary, belonging to this type of group shows that you are serious about your role as a landlord.
The main organisations operating in Scotland are:
Landlords may also choose to join an accreditation scheme in their local area.
Letting agents
If you don't want to go into all the detail of letting property yourself, using a professional letting agent is a good way to ensure that the property is well managed, with all the legal requirements in place. A letting agent will also be knowledgeable about the market for rented property in your area and can advise you when you are thinking about letting.
The following organisations make sure that their members are fully qualified and regulated, and deposits held by them are protected by a national scheme, so that both tenants and landlords are protected should the business fail:
Join a landlords' forum
Landlords' forums are usually run by local authorities. They are open to everyone, and provide a way for the authority to communicate with landlords about changes in relevant legislation, housing benefit, local housing strategies and so on. Contact your local authority to see if they have a landlords forum. If they don't, why not suggest it?
Join an accreditation scheme
Accreditation is a way of recognising landlords who meet high standards in their property and management practices. It is a voluntary partnership between landlords and the local authority (or other organisations such as universities and colleges) to drive up standards. Members of a scheme are able to market themselves as accredited landlords. They may also receive other benefits such as advertising through the local authority or student accommodation service, financial discounts, and access to training and support. The features of each scheme will be decided locally. Accreditation schemes now exist in the following areas. For more information contact the local authority, or visit the scheme's website.
In addition, the Scottish Government has set up a national voluntary accreditation scheme for private landlords. The Scottish Core Standards for Accredited Landlords [PDF external link] help private landlords achieve best practice. These were developed as part of the project to promote accreditation schemes, but you don't have to be a member of a scheme to use the standards.