Pre-Let Safety Checks for Scotland Landlords

The gap between tenancies is where most compliance failures originate. The previous tenant's gas safety record expires, the EICR was due two months ago, and nobody checked the alarm batteries since the last move-in. A new tenant arriving to a property without current certificates is a repairing standard breach from day one.

Here's what needs to be verified before you hand over the keys.

Safety Certificates

Gas Safety Record (LGSR) — must be valid (within the last 12 months) and a copy provided to the new tenant before move-in. Not within 28 days — before move-in. If the record expires during the void period, book a new inspection before marketing the property.

EICR — must be valid (within the last 5 years, or the shorter interval if one was specified). Before the tenancy starts, address C1 and C2 findings urgently and investigate any FI finding as soon as practically possible. Give the new tenant a copy before the tenancy starts.

PAT testing — include every electrical appliance you're providing (fridge, washing machine, microwave, kettle) in the inspection and testing register. Check the next test date; new appliances do not need a test during their first year, but record when the first test is due.

Interlinked Alarms

Walk the property and physically test every alarm:

• Living room: smoke alarm present, ceiling-mounted, test button produces audible alarm
• Every hallway/landing: smoke alarm present on each storey, ceiling-mounted, test button works
• Kitchen: heat alarm (not smoke alarm), ceiling-mounted, test button works
• Living accommodation rooms with a fixed combustion appliance other than one used solely for cooking, or with a flue passing through: carbon monoxide alarm present, test button works
• Interlinking: activate one alarm and confirm all connected units sound simultaneously

Check the manufacture date on each alarm body. If any unit is within 6 months of its 10-year expiry, replace it now rather than mid-tenancy.

Record every alarm test: date, location, result, and the manufacture/expiry date. This goes in your property compliance file.

Heating System

Confirm the fixed heating system operates correctly. Turn it on, check every radiator (or storage heater, panel heater) heats up, and verify the thermostat and timer work. If the property uses a gas boiler, this should already be covered by the gas safety check, but verify the system actually delivers heat to every room.

Remember: portable plug-in electric heaters don't count as a fixed heating system under the March 2024 guidance.

Water and Plumbing

• Run every tap — hot and cold — and check for adequate flow and correct temperature
• Flush the toilet and check for leaks
• Run the shower and check for adequate water pressure
• Inspect under sinks for any visible leaks or damp
• Check under the kitchen sink for lead pipework (dull grey, soft metal). If you can't visually confirm the pipework material between the stopcock and kitchen tap, arrange a water quality test

If the property has been vacant for more than a week, run all taps and the shower for at least 2 minutes to flush standing water before the tenant moves in. This is part of basic legionella risk management.

Food Storage and Preparation

Walk the kitchen and verify:

• Worktops are hygienic, intact, and cleanable (no cracks, delamination, or damage)
• Cupboards open and close properly with doors attached
• There's adequate food storage space (lockable or lined cabinetry)
• The cooking facilities work (oven, hob)

This has been an explicit repairing standard requirement since March 2024.

Common Parts (Flats)

If the property is a flat in a tenement or shared building:

• Common entrance door locks securely from outside and opens from inside without a key
• Shared stairwell and close are clean, lit, and free from trip hazards
• Any communal paths or courtyards are safely accessible

You can't control what other residents do to shared areas between inspections, but you should document the condition at the start of each tenancy.

Documentation to Provide

Before the tenancy starts, give the tenant the current LGSR and EICR. Before or at move-in, also provide:

• Alarm testing instructions
• Any written Legionella risk assessment, if kept; there is no general duty to provide it to the tenant
• Energy Performance Certificate
• The Tenant Information Pack for an applicable assured or short assured tenancy that began before 1 December 2017

Keep signed acknowledgement of document receipt in your property file.

For printable pre-let inspection checklists, contractor verification forms, and the full compliance tracking system, see the Scotland Repairing Standard guide.

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