Landlord property care · Leith
Landlord property maintenance in Leith
Leith puts three very different kinds of building on the same street: nineteenth-century tenements, converted warehouses and bonded stores, and new waterfront blocks with factors and service charges. Each fails in its own way, and the right person for a Shore warehouse conversion is rarely the right person for a Bonnington tenement roof.
The short answer
A private landlord in Leith must keep the property to the Repairing Standard, hold a valid gas safety record, have an electrical installation condition report every five years, fit interlinked smoke and heat alarms, and be registered with City of Edinburgh Council. We cover EH6, EH7 and can introduce you to independent local trades for the reactive repairs, safety checks and between-tenancy work.
Postcodes we cover
- EH6
- EH7
EH6 covers Leith, the Shore, Newhaven and Bonnington; the Easter Road and Pilrig edge of the same market sits in EH7.
Areas covered include The Shore, Bonnington, Newhaven, Pilrig, Easter Road, Leith Links, Great Junction Street, Ocean Terminal and the Waterfront.
What is different about Leith
- Landlord registration in Leith is handled by City of Edinburgh Council, and letting an unregistered property is an offence.
- The Repairing Standard is not optional or negotiable, and since March 2024 it also requires safe kitchen and food-storage provision, safe common doors and residual current protection on the electrical installation.
- A tenant's repair report starts a clock. Where a landlord does not act, the tenant can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber) at no cost.
- Dense stone and rendered tenements around Leith Walk, Junction Street and the Links; nineteenth-century industrial conversions at the Shore with large single-glazed openings, exposed structure and flat or hidden-gutter roofs; two- and three-storey Newhaven cottages; and modern apartment blocks at Ocean Terminal and Western Harbour under factor management.
Local rules and responsibilities
- Large parts of the Shore, Leith Links and Pilrig are conservation areas, and several warehouse conversions are listed, so external repairs are expected to be like-for-like.
- In a factored block the factor — not the individual owner — usually instructs common work, and the written statement of services sets out how that is decided and billed.
- Tenement common repairs follow the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 where the deeds are silent: majority decision, equal shares.
- Coastal exposure means an EWS1 or fabric question on a modern block is more likely to come up when a flat is sold or remortgaged.
How to go about it
- 1Keep a single dated file per property: registration number, gas safety record, EICR, PAT records where you supply appliances, EPC and alarm installation evidence.
- 2Diary the renewal dates rather than waiting for a reminder — gas annually, EICR every five years.
- 3Acknowledge every tenant repair report in writing on the day it arrives, even when you cannot fix it that week.
- 4Use trades who will issue a certificate or a written report you can file, not a verbal all-clear.
- 5Inspect between tenancies with a camera, so the next deposit dispute is decided by evidence.
Landlord property care jobs in Leith
- Meeting the Repairing Standard
- Landlord registration
- HMO maintenance and licensing
- Landlord gas safety checks
- EICR and electrical safety
- Appliance testing in a let
- Alarms in a rented property
- Fire safety in a let
- Legionella risk in a let
- EPC and energy standards
- Damp and mould in a let
- Handling tenant repair reports
- Out-of-hours emergency repairs
- The annual property inspection
- Furniture and furnishings in a let
- Water, drainage and leaks
- Locks, doors and security
- Heating upgrades in a rental
- Gardens and common areas
- The landlord compliance pack
- End of tenancy repairs and deposits
About Lothian Property
An independent starting point, not an estate agency
Lothian Property is an independent property information and introduction service. We are not an estate agency. We help homeowners understand their property, their options and their local market, and — where appropriate and only with your permission — introduce them to independent estate agents and other property professionals who can assist.
How Lothian Property worksCommon questions
- Do I need to register as a landlord in Leith?
- Yes. Anyone letting residential property must register with the local authority — City of Edinburgh Council for this area — and renew every three years. Letting without registration is a criminal offence and can lead to a rent penalty notice.
- How often does an electrical safety check need doing?
- An Electrical Installation Condition Report is required at least every five years for a private let in Scotland, along with portable appliance testing for appliances the landlord provides.
- What happens if a tenant reports a repair and it is not done?
- The tenant can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Housing and Property Chamber). The Tribunal can order the work, and a Repairing Standard Enforcement Order is recorded against the property.
Other help in Leith
- Property maintenance in Leith
- Void property clearance in Leith
- Pre-sale property preparation in Leith
- Handyman and small works in Leith