Scotland: new prescribed notice forms for PRTs from April 2027

The Scottish Government has laid regulations that prescribe the forms landlords must use for certain notices under the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016. This covers the content, format and how notices must be served.

The regulations also set out the form tenants must use to refer a rent matter to a rent officer, and how that referral must be notified to the landlord.

The new forms take effect from 1 April 2027. The source does not say whether existing forms remain valid alongside the new ones, or whether there is a transition period, so that detail is unconfirmed.

This applies to landlords and tenants in Scotland with Private Residential Tenancies (PRTs). It affects notices served by landlords under the 2016 Act, such as notices to end a tenancy, and tenant referrals to a rent officer.

It does not apply to England, Wales or Northern Ireland, which have separate tenancy regimes and notice requirements.

• Note the 1 April 2027 start date for the new forms
• Check with a solicitor nearer the time about which notices are affected and whether a transition period applies
• Watch for the actual forms to be published, since this source only confirms that new regulations have been made
• If you serve PRT notices in Scotland, update your templates once the new forms are available