Housing

Housing regulator

We are regulated by the Scottish Housing Regulator to protect the rights of our tenants and people using our housing services.

Reviewing our performance

The regulator looks at:

• our responsibilities as a registered social landlord
• how well we are delivering our housing and homeless services.

Our performance is measured against the Scottish Social Housing Charter which sets out the standards and outcomes all registered social landlords aim to achieve.

The Scottish Housing Regulator website has performance information about us including:

• our assurance statement on how we are meeting regulatory requirements
• the regulator's engagement plan.

Our current performance report 

Our current performance report is from April 2024 to March 2025.

We're required to report performance against indicators set by the regulator.

Our report covers:

• the quality of our council housing
• ensuring our tenants get good value from rent and service charges
• how well we carry out repairs and safety checks
• managing and supporting our tenancies
• referring homeless households to other registered social landlords
• resolving anti-social behaviour
• responding to complaints
• tenant satisfaction with our services
• the regulator's engagement plan
• what we're doing to improve our performance.

View our current performance report.

Complaints and serious concerns

The Scottish Government's Social Housing Charter sets out the standards social landlords need to achieve. Social landlords include registered social landlords (RSLs) - such as a housing association or co-operative - and councils.

The Scottish Housing Regulator monitors, assesses and reports on the performance of landlords in achieving these standards.

Read their fact sheet to learn what to do if you have complaints or serious concerns (Scottish Housing Regulator).

Tenant satisfaction survey

We carry out a tenant satisfaction survey every 2 years.

The latest survey was carried out in 2024 and captured the views of more than 1200 households.

There are six specific areas the regulator asks us to gauge satisfaction levels on:

• our overall services provided by the council as your landlord
• keeping you informed about our services and decisions
• opportunities to participate and shape our services
• the quality of your home
• our contribution to the management of the neighbourhood you live in
• value for money of your rent.

More than 70% of tenants surveyed said they were either very or fairly satisfied with each area.

There has been a decrease in satisfaction since the previous survey, and our tenants highlighted key areas for improvement which we are considering in detail to make our services better and maintain high satisfaction levels.

Attend a landlord forum

Email us at ownerservices.hps@renfrewshire.gov.uk if you'd like to be added to our invite list.

Landlord forums are an opportunity to meet up with other landlords, agents and a variety of council departments involved in the private rented sector.

These meetings are organised by the council. We hold several meetings in Paisley throughout the year.

We contact registered landlords directly in advance of each meeting.

How to become accredited

Learn more on the Landlord Accreditation Scotland website.

We encourage all landlords and letting agents to become members of the Landlord Accreditation Scotland, Scotland's leading provider of accreditation and industry training for people working in the private rented sector.

Becoming a member will:

• provide benefits for both private landlords and their tenants
• promote best practice and continuous improvement of standards
• provide training opportunities for landlords
• provide advice to landlords and tenants
• give tenants reassurance that their landlord will operate to high standards.

Being awarded accredited status is a method of standing out from other landlords and letting agents.

To become accredited, landlords and letting agents must adhere to the Scottish core standards for accredited landlords.

Landlords who already carry out good management practices will be ready to achieve these standards.

All private landlords, with some limited exceptions, have to apply for registration in the register of landlords.

The aim of landlord registration is to make sure that all private landlords in Scotland are 'fit and proper' people to be letting residential property.

The requirement to register helps councils to remove disreputable landlords from the market and protect tenants and the wider community from the impact of antisocial behaviour and mismanaged property.

Most private landlords need to register. There are a few exceptions, including:

• live-in landlords – where a landlord lives in the same property as their tenant(s)
• letting to a close family member – where a landlord lets a property to their mother,
  father, sister, brother, daughter, or son
• short-term holiday lets.

If you're not sure if you need to register or not, ask by emailing us at privatelandlordteam@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

See a list of what information you'll need to provide (Scottish Landlord Register website).

Register online (Scottish Landlord Register website)

If you do not want to apply online, you can download and fill in the application form:

Once you've filled in the form, email it to us at privatelandlordteam@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

How long it takes to get your registration confirmed

We usually take about 18 weeks to process applications.

Because we are currently handling a high number of applications, these times are an estimate and your application may take longer.

Renew every 3 years

You must renew your registration every 3 years if you wish to continue to act as a landlord. Your registration lasts 3 years from its approval date.

If you do not renew your registration before it expires, you'll be charged a late fee of £170.

You can renew up to 3 months in advance of your current registration expiring.

The Scottish Government will send you a reminder by email, if you've provided an email address.

If you do not renew following the 2 reminders, you'll automatically incur a late payment fee of £170 for your registration.

Tell us if you stop being a landlord

If you're no longer acting as a landlord, you must contact us at privatelandlordteam@renfrewshire.gov.uk so that our records are kept up to date.

The principal registration fee is £85.

The late registration fee is £170.

There is also a fee of £20 for each property you're registering.

If you're making 2 or more applications with different local authorities, the fee is £42.50 per local authority.

What common areas are

When you buy a flat, you take on rights and responsibilities for the common areas and parts of the whole building.

You jointly own these common areas and parts with other owners in the building. Common areas and parts include:

• foundations and outside walls
• chimneys, stacks and vents
• the close and staircase
• bin stores and back courts
• the roof
• gutters, downpipes and drainage system
• door entry system
• common paths.

Who is responsible for common area repairs

If your building's common areas need to be repaired, every owner must pay a share of any common charges for works and services.

Your title deeds normally tell you about your rights and responsibilities for your own property and for your shared responsibility for the whole building. They may also detail your proportional share of common costs and your obligations to manage and maintain the building jointly with the other owners.

If all of the flats in a building do not have the same conditions set out in their deeds, you should get advice from a solicitor or refer to legislation under the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 (GOV.UK website).

You may decide that the easiest way to handle maintenance and repairs is to hire a property manager or factor to take care of it for you. However, you may decide to self-manage the building, meaning that you and your co-owners would carry out any management work directly.

Property that's jointly owned with the council

Most council flats are in buildings which are jointly owned with private homeowners. Cooperation and participation from all owners is  essential in securing common repairs and improvements in these buildings.

We will not carry out repairs or improvements without consulting other owners within the building first. However, we can carry out common repairs if a majority of owners agree to the work. We'll also intervene if emergency common repairs are needed, particularly when a problem that needs repairing directly affects a council-owned property.

We'll assess and prioritise other, more general repairs that owners or tenants report. We might need to defer some jobs due to budget restrictions.

Grants for common repairs works are generally no longer available from the council. However, owners may receive grant assistance as part of council-led major investment works carried out in mixed-tenure block properties.

See the Common Repairs and Property Management leaflet, which explains how we can get involved in buildings where we own flats alongside private owners.

Advice on repairs and maintenance for flat owners

See the Under One Roof website for useful information for homeowners about common areas, including:

• articles on flat owners' legal responsibilities towards their co-owners
• technical information to enable owners to identify repair problems
• technical information to enable owners to understand quotations from builders
• drawings and photographs to help owners identify the various parts that make up their building
• sample letters for use when corresponding with your neighbours
• advice on dealing with owners who refuse to participate in repairs.

Contact us

For more information on organising common repairs, email us at ownersenquiries@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

If you own your home, you're responsible for helping to maintain and repair common areas of your building. Read this guide for information, advice, and to learn what your responsibilities are.

Small repairs to your home

Through Care & Repair Renfrewshire's small repairs service, you can get repairs done to your home, such as:

• small joinery repairs
• small electrical and plumbing repairs
• some general support, such as hanging curtains and turning mattresses.

The labour is free. You'll just need to pay for any materials used.

You can use the small repairs service if you either:

• 60 or older
• disabled
• the parent or guardian of someone who gets a disability or sickness benefit including Disability Living Allowance (DLA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Attendance Allowance, or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).

Learn more about the small repairs service (Care & Repair Renfrewshire website)

Adaptations to your home

If you or someone you live with has difficulty getting in and out of your home, it may be possible to adapt your house to make it more suitable for your needs.

An occupational therapist from our social work services can visit you to discuss your requirements. They'll be able to suggest adaptations that can help you get the most out of your home.

We may be able to help you with the cost of any equipment or temporary adaptations that the occupational therapist recommends. If they recommend a permanent adaptation, you may be able to get a grant to help you meet the cost.

This grant will cover 80% of the cost of the work. Depending on your financial circumstances, you may be able to get a higher level of grant support for up to 100%.

Learn more about adapting your home

Getting permission from your landlord for adaptations

If you're a tenant of a private landlord, you'll need your landlord's permission to make any adaptations to your home. You have a right to adapt the property you live in, so your landlord should not refuse permission without a good reason.

Council tax 

If your home is specially adapted to meet your needs, you may be able to get to a council tax discount.

Learn about council tax discounts on homes adapted for people with disabilities

Contact us

Email us at ownerservices.hps@renfrewshire.gov.uk if you have questions about adapting your home.

This guide lists some help and support available for older or disabled home owners and private tenants.

We have separate information for people living in council housing.

Before you start renting

Landlord registration

To check that someone is a registered landlord, you can either:

• search for their name on the Scottish Landlord Register website
• search for their name on the Landlord Accreditation Scotland website
• phone us on 0300 300 0300 and ask us.

If you’ve checked these sources and you’re still not sure that a landlord is registered, we recommend that you do not rent a property from them.

Your rights

Learn what your rights are as a private tenant (Scottish Government website), including rights about:

• rent increases
• the rent adjudication process (you can ask for an independent review if you think your rent increase is unreasonable)
• repairs and maintenance
• eviction rights.

Tenancy agreement

Your landlord must give you a tenancy agreement when you move into your rental home.
Tenancy agreements list certain information, rights, and responsibilities between you and your landlord, such as:

• your name
• your landlord’s name
• the address of the property you’ll be renting
• the date the tenancy began
• whether other people are allowed to use the property
• how much rent you’ll need to pay, when to pay it, and how to pay it
• how often and when your rent can increase
• who will pay the council tax and utility bills
• whether your landlord will provide any additional services
• how much notice you and your landlord must give before one of you can end the tenancy.

Learn more about tenancy agreements (Citizens Advice Scotland website).

Council tax

Tell us about a change of address for council tax 2 weeks before you move into your new home.

When you’re moving in

Inventory

Your landlord may give you an inventory, which is a list of all items that were in the property when you started renting.

If your landlord does not provide an inventory, we recommend that you make your own list of these items and give a copy to the landlord when you move in.

Energy performance certificate

An energy performance certificate is a document with information about:

• how energy efficient a building is
• how the efficiency could be improved.

Buildings are rated on a scale from A to G, with A being the most efficient.

Your landlord must give you a free copy of the property’s energy performance certificate when you move in. It should match the one they used when advertising the property.

Learn more about energy performance certificates (Scottish Government website).

Once you’re living in the property

Repairs and maintenance

Your landlord is responsible for any repairs needed to make sure your home meets all legal standards, called the ‘Repairing Standard’. This includes things such as making sure the property:

• meets the ‘Tolerable Standard’, which is a basic habitability standard that all properties in Scotland must meet to ensure they are suitable for people to live in
• is wind- and watertight
• is structurally sound
• has a satisfactory food storage area and food preparation space
• has no appliances or other fittings in disrepair (anything provided must be in good working order).

Learn more about the Repairing Standard (Scottish Government website).

Your landlord must also arrange annual gas safety checks on gas appliances and check any electrical equipment in the property.

You should tell your landlord if you need something repaired. We recommend you do this in writing – for example, by email.

You need to give your landlord reasonable access to the property so they can do the repairs.

If your landlord will not do essential repairs, you can make a complaint to the Housing and Property Chamber.

Learn more about your landlord’s responsibilities or make a complaint (Housing and Property Chamber website).

Damages

You must pay for any damages you cause to the property.

You must replace any of the items in the inventory that become lost or broken during your tenancy.

If you’re planning on moving out

You must give your landlord at least 28 days' notice in writing if you want to end your tenancy, unless you ask for shorter notice and they agree in writing.

The notice period will begin on the day your landlord gets your notice and will end 28 days after that date.

You and your landlord can agree a different notice period, but this must be in writing and can only be done once you’ve started to live in the property.

Your landlord cannot require you to give a longer notice period than 28 days.

Learn more about ending your tenancy (Scottish Government website).

Evictions

Your landlord can only evict you (end your tenancy and make you move out) for specific reasons. These are called ‘grounds for eviction’.

Learn about grounds for eviction (Scottish Government website).

Your landlord should give you a ‘notice to leave’ to evict you. This is a legal document that includes:

• that you must leave the property
• the reason they’re asking you to leave (the ground for eviction)
• your notice period (how long you have until you must move out).

Learn what to do if you think you’re being illegally evicted (Shelter Scotland website).

Get help adapting your home for disabilities

If you or someone you live with has difficulty getting in and out of your home, it may be possible to adapt your home to make it more suitable for your needs.

This guide is for private tenants – people who rent their home from a private landlord, not the council.

We have separate information for people living in council housing.

Survey arrangements

Council tenants will receive a letter from us in advance of the survey taking place.

There's no need to make an appointment or do anything ahead of the survey.

The surveys will be carried out on weekdays between 9am and 5pm.

The surveyor will show identification and explain the purpose of the visit.

It is important access is provided for this survey to take place.

If no one is in or it's not a suitable time when the surveyor visits, the surveyor will leave a leaflet to arrange a time for them to return.

Where the surveys are taking place

Ongoing

Surveys are currently taking place in:

• Paisley North (PA1, PA2, PA3)
• Houston / Crosslee, Linwood, Erskine, and Riverside (PA3)
• Johnstone (PA5)

From September 2026

Upcoming surveys will take place in:

• Johnstone (PA5)
• Houston / Crosslee, Linwood, Erskine, and Riverside (PA4)

Contacting the surveyors

To contact the surveyors from John Martin Partnership, phone 0141 333 0363.

Contacting the council

For more information, contact us by:

• phone 0300 300 0300
• email repairsandinvestment.hps@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

Condition surveys are being carried out at our council houses.

These are taking place to gather information which helps us to consider future housing investment and to report the condition of our houses to the Scottish Housing Regulator.

Surveyors from property consultants John Martin Partnership (JMP) are carrying out the surveys on our behalf.

The survey takes up to 45 minutes and inspects the outside and inside of the home.

This includes:

• collecting information and taking supporting photographs
• looking at the condition of different elements including the roof, windows, doors, walls, loft insulation, kitchen, bathroom and heating systems
• drawing up floor plans to capture the dimensions of the home
• recording energy information at some homes to create an Energy Performance Certificate.

If the tenant is not home or it's not a suitable time when the surveyor visits, the surveyor will leave a leaflet to arrange a time for them to return.

Launderette condition surveys

Our surveyors are also carrying out condition surveys of our launderettes.