Treat the licence, planning position, landlord registration and tenancies as separate due-diligence tracks. Resolve them before concluding missives, not after completion.
Evidence to request
Current licence, occupancy limit, named holder, conditions, renewal/application history and council correspondence.
Confirm the buyer's landlord-registration position and the timetable for a fresh HMO application before ownership transfers.
Planning history, any material-change decision, building warrants and completion certificates for conversion or alterations.
Fire risk assessment, alarm and emergency-lighting records, gas/electrical reports, room measurements and the council inspection history.
Private Residential Tenancy agreements, rent schedule, notices, deposit-scheme evidence and arrears or tribunal history.
Home Report where required, title and tenement/common-repair information, insurance, lender consent and a solicitor's LBTT/ADS calculation.
Check the council licence register, planning history and headline investment figures.
Resolve licence continuity, tenancy, title, tax and funding conditions.
Prepare registration and licence applications, insurance, management and tenant communications.
Official Scottish guidance
Use the relevant council guidance for the property address because fees, evidence and local standards vary.
Important: General information only, checked on 1 September 2026. It is not legal, tax, planning, fire-safety or financial advice. Confirm the position with relevant Scottish local authority and qualified advisers before committing to a purchase, sale or letting.
