Landlord licensing in Aberdeen City Council

Licensing at a glance

HMO licensing

HMO licensing applies where three or more unrelated people share a property as their only or main home. These properties require an HMO licence from Aberdeen City Council. This is in addition to the landlord being registered on the Scottish Landlord Register.

Additional licensing

Aberdeen City Council does not operate any additional licensing schemes. Landlord registration and HMO licensing are the primary regulatory requirements for private rented properties.

Selective licensing

Selective licensing does not exist in Scotland. All private landlords are legally required to register on the Scottish Landlord Register before letting out a property.

Towns covered

Aberdeen City

What this means for you

If you let a property in the Aberdeen City Council area, your first step is to comply with Scottish housing law. All private landlords must register with the local authority via the Scottish Landlord Register. Properties let to three or more unrelated tenants as their only or main home require a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) licence from the council. There are no additional or selective licensing schemes in Scotland. Scottish lets use the Private Residential Tenancy (PRT) agreement, which is open-ended. Tenancies are subject to the Repairing Standard and tribunal-based possession grounds. Key documents for every tenancy include a current gas safety record, an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) no more than five years old, a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, deposit protection and prescribed information, and all required prescribed documents served before the tenancy starts.

Official links

• Licensing pages
• Council website