Statute: Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016
Applies to: scotland
Notice periods: [object Object]
The Private Residential Tenancy (PRT) is the standard private sector tenancy in Scotland, introduced by the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 and in force since 1 December 2017. It replaced the Short Assured Tenancy and the Assured Tenancy for new private grants and is designed to give tenants more security of tenure than the regimes it replaced.
Key features
A PRT is open-ended. There is no fixed term and no contractual end date. The tenancy continues until either the tenant gives notice to leave or the landlord obtains an eviction order from the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) on one of 18 statutory grounds. There is no equivalent to the Section 21 no-fault eviction that existed in England before [RRA 2025](https://thetenantsvoice.co.uk/renters-rights-act).
Landlords must provide a tenancy agreement using the Scottish Government's Model Tenancy Agreement or a similar document that includes the statutory Tenant Information Pack (or Scottish Easy Read version). This sets out the tenant's rights and responsibilities and must be given at the start of the tenancy.
Rent and rent increases
Rent can be varied by the landlord once per year with at least three months' notice in writing. The tenant can refer a proposed rent increase to a Rent Officer, who determines an open-market rent. Scotland has periodically operated additional rent pressure zones and emergency rent caps; as of 2026, tenants should check the current statutory rules before responding to a rent increase.
Grounds for eviction
There are 18 grounds divided into mandatory and discretionary categories. Mandatory grounds include the landlord intending to sell, the landlord moving in, substantial rent arrears (three months or more), and anti-social behaviour. Discretionary grounds include other rent arrears, breach of tenancy, and criminal activity. The Tribunal decides reasonableness on discretionary grounds. Notice periods vary by ground.
The First-tier Tribunal
Evictions in Scotland go to the First-tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber) rather than the Sheriff Court that handled the older regimes. This makes the process more accessible and streamlined, though tenants should still get advice. Shelter Scotland and Citizens Advice Scotland both have specialist housing advisors.
Relationship to the Renters' Rights Act 2025
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 applies to England (and partly Wales). Scottish private tenants already have most of the protections RRA 2025 introduces south of the border: open-ended tenancies, abolition of no-fault eviction, and a referral route for rent challenges. PRT continues as Scotland's standard private tenancy unchanged by RRA 2025.