HMO Licence Documents in Scotland: Every Safety Certificate You Need

The Document Bundle

Every Scottish council requires the same core set of certificates before they will accept an HMO licence application as valid. Submitting an incomplete bundle does not mean the council asks you nicely for the missing piece — it means your application is not processed until you provide it, pushing your timeline back by weeks or months.

Here is every document you need, who produces it, and how often it needs renewing.

Gas Safety Certificate (CP12)

A Gas Safe registered engineer must inspect all gas installations and appliances annually. The certificate — formally a Landlord Gas Safety Record — covers boilers, fires, cookers, and any other gas appliance in the property. It is valid for 12 months.

You need a current CP12 at the time of application and must maintain continuous certification throughout the licence term. A gap of even one day between certificates is a breach of licence conditions.

Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR)

An EICR must be carried out by a NICEIC or SELECT registered electrician and is valid for a maximum of five years. The report covers the fixed wiring, consumer unit, earthing arrangements, and circuit protection.

The critical detail for HMO licensing: the EICR must cover the full licence term. If you apply for a three-year licence and your EICR expires in two years, you need a fresh report before applying. Councils will not grant a three-year licence on a two-year-old EICR.

Any C1 (danger present) or C2 (potentially dangerous) findings on the report must be remediated and retested before the application proceeds.

Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)

Every portable electrical appliance provided by the landlord — kettles, toasters, microwaves, lamps, vacuum cleaners — must be PAT tested annually by a competent person. The tester does not need to be a qualified electrician, but they must hold PAT testing certification.

Keep a schedule of tested appliances with serial numbers or descriptions, test dates, and results. Inspectors may ask to see this during a property visit.

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

An EPC is valid for ten years and must be commissioned from an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor. The certificate rates the property's energy efficiency on a scale from A to G.

The current target for rental properties is Band C, though enforcement timelines and any transition to a Heat Retention Rating system are still being finalised in secondary legislation expected between 2026 and 2028. At minimum, you need a valid EPC at the time of application.

Fire Risk Assessment (FRA)

A comprehensive, documented fire risk assessment must be carried out by a competent fire risk assessor. The FRA should be reviewed annually or whenever the property layout changes — adding a partition, converting a room, or changing a room's use.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service will want to see the FRA at their inspection. It should identify all fire hazards, evaluate risks to occupants, and specify protective measures including alarm placement, door ratings, escape routes, and emergency lighting.

Dimensioned Floor Plans

You need professional-quality floor plans drawn to 1:50 or 1:100 scale showing every room's dimensions, window positions, door locations (marking fire doors), escape routes, and the position of fire detection equipment.

A surveyor or competent scale drafter can produce these. Hand-drawn sketches will not be accepted. The plans only need updating if you make structural changes — if the layout is the same as your last application, the existing plans are fine.

Public Liability Insurance

Every HMO in Scotland needs public liability insurance with a minimum cover of £5 million. The policy must be current at the time of application and maintained throughout the licence term. Your standard landlord buildings insurance may not include public liability at the required level — check with your insurer.

Style Tenancy Agreement

You need to submit a copy of the tenancy agreement you use with tenants. Since 1 December 2017, all new private residential tenancies in Scotland must use the standard Private Residential Tenancy format under the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016. If you are still using an older assured shorthold or short assured tenancy template, update it.

Legionella Risk Assessment

While not always listed as a separate mandatory item in every council's guidance, a legionella risk assessment is part of the broader safety compliance expected for HMO properties. Hot and cold water systems in shared properties — particularly those with water tanks, long pipe runs, or infrequently used outlets — need to be assessed for legionella risk.

Tracking Renewals Across the Licence Term

The hardest part is not assembling the bundle once — it is keeping everything current over three years. Your Gas Safety Certificate and PAT testing renew annually. The FRA should be reviewed annually. The EICR has a five-year cycle. Insurance renews annually. Miss any renewal and you breach your licence conditions.

The Scotland HMO Licensing Guide includes a certification renewal tracker worksheet that maps every certificate's expiry date against your licence term, so nothing lapses without warning.

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