A new Tenant Information Pack (TIP) has been announced which is intended to benefit both tenants and landlords in the private rented sector in Scotland by providing improved access to information on renting and to help ensure that rental accommodation is good quality and well managed.

The user-friendly document, which has been made available on the Scottish Government website, contains a summary of legislation relevant to private tenants and landlords.

Margaret Burgess, Minister for Housing and Welfare, said: “There is already a lot of good information available to tenants and the pack is not intended to replace existing material, but to create a benchmark for information available across the whole sector.

“The introduction of the pack will contribute towards ensuring that the private rented sector provides good quality and well managed accommodation, where both landlords and tenants understand their respective rights and responsibilities.

“The Renting Scotland website is another important form of support, offering crucial advice to tenants and landlords.”

The TIP will be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that it provides an accurate, user friendly, summary of housing law.

The launch of the pack is supported by a new website which offers practical renting guides for tenants and landlords in Scotland’s private rented sector.

Funded by the Scottish Government, the Renting Scotland website has been created by Shelter Scotland and industry partners and contains key tenant and landlord information on renting in the private rented sector.

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, said: “The introduction of the Tenant Information Pack by the Scottish Government is a positive step forward for tenants and landlords alike, who will be clear on their rights and responsibilities from the day a tenant moves in.

“An informed tenant is a good tenant, and likewise a landlord who is aware of their rights and responsibilities can better manage their property to anticipate and avoid problems, allowing both parties to get off to a good start.”