In just a few short weeks, the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Act 2016 is set to come into force across Scotland, bringing with it the new “Private Residential Tenancy”. From the 1st of December, the new Private Residential Tenancy will be the only tenancy open for private landlords and tenants in Scotland. Following enforcement of the new Act, the common Short Assured Tenancy, despite its popularity within Scotland's residential letting sector, will no longer be available. It is worth noting that existing Short Assured Tenancies will continue and will not automatically be converted to the new regime.

March this year saw the issue of rates re-valuation notices for commercial premises, the first since 2010 from which new rateable values will have come into effect on 1 April 2017.  These are likely to have come as a shock to many business occupiers,   particularly those who operate licensed premises.

From 1^st September 2016 and using the powers set out in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, the Scottish Government has now started to enforce the improvement of energy efficiency in non-residential buildings.

Registration for landlords in the private rented sector is compulsory and, although the register of landlords has been online since 2006, the system has now been upgraded. This upgrade should make it more straightforward for landlords to apply and to renew their registration, for anyone to search the public register of landlords and for local authorities to maintain the register in their area.

A homeowner who claimed that Glasgow City Council had acted beyond its authority by imposing a condition that a home owner was required to pay their share of the cost of repairs to a tenement by the time the final account for the works was issued or be liable for the full costs has had his legal challenge dismissed.

Plans for major changes to Scotland’s planning system, have been published by the Scottish Government. The revamp is aimed mainly at making is easier to build more high quality homes and at reducing bureaucracy and will give local people a greater say in planning issues in their area.