Landlord licensing in Aberdeenshire Council

Licensing at a glance

HMO licensing

HMO licensing applies where three or more unrelated people sharing a property are not all members of the same family. Every private landlord must also be entered on the Scottish Landlord Register, which is held by the council.

Additional licensing

There is no separate additional licensing scheme in Aberdeenshire. HMO licensing and landlord registration cover shared housing arrangements and all private landlords respectively.

Selective licensing

Landlord registration applies everywhere in Scotland. Some councils, including potentially Aberdeenshire, may operate Short-Term Let Control Areas that affect holiday lets, requiring a licence for such properties.

Towns covered

Aberdeenshire

What this means for you

If you let a property in the Aberdeenshire Council area, confirm which licensing regime applies. HMO licensing is required where three or more unrelated people share a property. Every private landlord must also be entered on the Scottish Landlord Register, maintained by the local authority. Scotland also has Short-Term Let Control Areas which affect holiday lets; Aberdeenshire Council may implement one. Designations, fees, and boundaries can change, so always check the council's own licensing pages. Scottish lets use the Private Residential Tenancy, which is open-ended. Ensure compliance with the Repairing Standard and tribunal-based possession grounds. For every tenancy, keep a current gas safety record where applicable, an EICR no more than five years old, a valid EPC, working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, deposit protection with prescribed information, and all required prescribed documents served before the tenancy starts.

Official links

• Licensing pages
• Council website