Advice and Assistance

You can use the Scottish Government website to apply for registration with any local authority in Scotland. If you want to register with more than one local authority, you can apply to all of them in one go - you only need to enter your personal or company details once. By applying online you can make one payment to cover all your applications. You must register with the local authority in each area your rented properties are situated. A discount of 50% is available for applications made to multiple local authorities.

Fees until 31st March 2021

The Private Landlord Registration (Fee) (Scotland) Regulations 2019 came into force in June 2019. Section 3 of the regulations makes provision for the fees to be adjusted, as such from Wednesday 1 April 2021 the fees will increased in line with the Consumer Prices Index (CPI). The new fees are shown below;

Fees as of 1st April 2021

Otherwise, applications can be submitted by post together with a cheque to West Lothian Council, Civic Centre, Howden South Road, Livingston, EH54 6FF and you can email landlordregistration@westlothian.gov.uk (opens new window) or by telephone to 01506 281252 if you require an application.

Enforcement action will be taken against landlords who failed to register or renew their applications. It is a criminal offence to let property if you are not properly registered, and this could ultimately land in court, upon summary conviction you may be liable for a fine up to level 5 on the standards scale, currently £50,000. Failure to renew or register after two requests being sent will automatically incur a £130 late penalty fee.

There is no provision in legislation for a right to appeal against the additional fee.

A landlord who does not apply to register and continues to let property is guilty of an offence, and the council may serve a notice suspending the tenants' rent payments. Alternatively, we can seek a criminal prosecution against an unregistered landlord who continues to let property. The maximum fine is £50,000 per offence. If you believe someone is not registered please fill in the online query form.

Having applied and paid for landlord registration, your registration is live. You are then legally able to let your property at this point. You should use the registration number sent from the Scottish Government payment notification on any correspondence.

Once your registration has been approved, a confirmation letter and welcome pack will be issued. Every 3 years you must renew your landlord registration. Using the email address that you provided in the application process, we will email you a reminder 3 months and 1 month before it is due to expire. If you have not provided an email address, reminders will be issued using other contact details you have provided. It is important that you have kept your contact details up to date at all times.

If you are no longer acting as a landlord, you should contact the Council at the earliest date to advise. Your details will then be removed from the register. You can use the Landlord Registration Scotland (opens new window) website to inform local authorities of any changes to your details, during the period of your registration including adding on any additional properties.

If the council is satisfied that a landlord has failed to make an application to be registered, has been de-registered or their application has been refused and the landlord continues to let out the property, the council may serve a Rent Penalty Notice.

The Rent Penalty Notice suspends the rent liability of a tenant residing within the unregistered property.

Where a landlord is found not to be registered, an initial letter advising them of their legal requirements is issued to the landlord requesting them to register within 14 days. If no application is received within this time scale the landlord is issued with a second reminder letter giving the landlord a further 7 days to register. If again no application is received a final reminder is issued to the landlord giving them a final 7 days in which to register.

If no application has been received the landlord will be issued with a Rent Penalty Notice in accordance with Section 94 of the Antisocial Behaviour etc. (Scotland) Act 2004 suspending rent payments on each property let by the landlord.

The notice will give a period of 28 days prior to its commencement during which the landlord has the opportunity to still register. If the landlord registers within the 28 days, the RPM will be revoked prior to commencement.

Service of the RPM will be authorised by the Head of Housing, Customer and Building Services and enforced by the Safer Neighbourhood Team. In the first instance, the notice will be served by first class recorded delivery to both landlord and tenant(s).

Failure of delivery will result in the notice being served by Sheriff Officers.

The council will ensure that advice and assistance is given to the tenant with regards to the financial implications arising from the service of the notice. The council will ensure that tenants are given advice and assistance concerning; security of tenure, benefit maximisation, housing benefit, homelessness service and the homeless duties of the Council.

You can get further information on Private Landlord Registration for you or your tenants at -

West Lothian Council is committed to providing free advice and assistance to landlords and agents in the sector. If you have any questions to private letting, an officer from the Landlord Registration Team will be happy to assist you. Please use the contact details on this page to contact the Landlord Registration Team.