Letsafely by Hastech

Letsafely is a placeholder name only.

Tell me when it's ready

Scotland short-term let: what you must show guests

A short reading of the mandatory licence conditions and official Scottish guidance. Written by Hastech, a sole trader trading as Hastech, which is building Letsafely, a reminder and log tool.

This is not legal advice. It does not replace your licence, and it does not tell you what a particular council will ask for. Local councils can set extra conditions. If you are unsure, read the official pages below and ask your licensing authority.

The short answer

You must have a short-term let licence before you take bookings or receive guests. The licence has mandatory conditions that apply across Scotland. Some of those conditions are about documents and information that must be available to guests on the premises, and about what must appear on listings.

mygov.scot (last updated 9 October 2025; last checked 11 November 2026, Europe/London) says:

“You must get a licence before you take bookings or receive guests.”

mygov.scot, About short-term let licences

The current mandatory conditions are in Schedule 3 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022, including amendments. Last checked: 11 November 2026, Europe/London.

The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022, Schedule 3

Scottish Government short-term lets host-guidance pages, including page 5, could not be re-read on 11 November 2026. Schedule 3 and mygov.scot were used instead. That host guidance is not confirmed here — check the official page.

Information that must be available to guests on the premises

Schedule 3, condition 12 (current text, last checked 11 November 2026, Europe/London) says:

“The holder of the licence must make the following information available within the premises in a place where it is accessible to all guests— (a) a certified copy of the licence and the licence conditions, (b) fire, gas and electrical safety information, (c) details of how to summon the assistance of emergency services, (d) a copy of the gas safety report, (e) a copy of the Electrical Installation Condition Report, and (f) a copy of the Portable Appliance Testing Report. (g) instructions as to what guests should do in the event that the carbon monoxide alarm sounds, (h) if there is a mobile gas cabinet heater in the premises, safety instructions as to the operation and movement of that mobile heater.”

Items (g) and (h) were inserted on 30 August 2024 by The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Amendment Order 2024 (S.S.I. 2024/227). The older “as made” version of Schedule 3 does not include them. Use the current Schedule 3.

The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022, Schedule 3

mygov.scot lists the same eight items under “Information you must display in the accommodation,” and says: “You must make sure the following information is in a place that guests can access.” Last checked: 11 November 2026, Europe/London.

mygov.scot, Legal requirements for short-term let accommodation

The condition uses “make … available” and “accessible to all guests.” It does not, in the official wording fetched on 11 November 2026, say “display on a wall.” How you make the information available in practice (for example a folder or a noticeboard) is not confirmed in Schedule 3 itself — check the official page and your licensing authority.

Licence number on listings

Schedule 3, condition 14 says:

“The holder of the licence must ensure that any listing or advert (whether electronic or otherwise) for the short-term let of the premises includes— (a) the licence number, and (b) a valid Energy Performance Certificate rating if an Energy Performance Certificate is required for the premises, in accordance with the Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2008. (2) The holder of the licence must ensure that any listing or advert (whether electronic or otherwise) for the short-term let of the premises is consistent with the terms of the short-term let licence.”

The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022, Schedule 3

The EPC rating only has to appear on the listing if an EPC is required for the premises. mygov.scot says: “You need an EPC if you are letting out an entire house or flat.” And: “If you’re letting out different type of accommodation, you may still need one.” If you need an EPC, mygov says you must “have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) dated within the last 10 years” and “display the EPC rating in all adverts for the accommodation.” Last checked: 11 November 2026, Europe/London.

mygov.scot, Legal requirements for short-term let accommodation

A full official walk-through of every case in which an EPC is, or is not, required was not found on the mygov page fetched on 11 November 2026 (it points to further guidance on gov.scot, which was not re-read). A single official rule that every short-term let needs an EPC was not found. Do not invent the missing cases — check the official page.

Other mandatory conditions that sit behind those documents

These are not all “display” rules, but they are why some of the guest documents exist. Quoted from current Schedule 3, last checked 11 November 2026, Europe/London.

Fire and carbon monoxide detection (condition 3):

“The holder of the licence must ensure the premises has satisfactory equipment installed for detecting, and for giving warning of— (a) fire or suspected fire, and (b) the presence of carbon monoxide in a concentration that is hazardous to health.”

Furniture records (condition 4):

“The holder of the licence must keep records showing that all upholstered furnishings and mattresses within the parts of the premises which are for guest use, or to which the guests are otherwise permitted to have access, comply with the Furniture and Furnishings (Fire Safety) Regulations 1988.”

That is a records condition. It is not, in this wording, an item that must be placed with the guest-information list in condition 12.

Gas (condition 5):

“Where the premises has a gas supply— (a) the holder of the licence must arrange for an annual gas safety inspection of all gas pipes, flues and appliances in the premises, (b) if, after an annual inspection, any appliance does not meet the required safety standard, the holder of the licence must not allow a short-term let of the premises until the works necessary to bring the appliance to the required safety standard have been carried out.”

mygov.scot summarises this as: “You must have: a Gas Safety Certificate dated within the last 12 months.” Schedule 3 itself uses “annual gas safety inspection” and “gas safety report,” not the words “Gas Safety Certificate.” Use the Order for the legal wording, and treat the mygov phrase as official website wording, not a different document type invented here.

Electrical (condition 6): where guests have access to electrical fittings or items, the licence holder must keep them in a reasonable state of repair and in proper and safe working order, arrange an electrical safety inspection by a competent person at least every five years or more frequently if directed, obtain an Electrical Installation Condition Report on any fixed installations, and arrange for a competent person to produce a Portable Appliance Testing Report on moveable appliances to which a guest has access, and to date-label and sign inspected items.

Legionella (condition 9):

“The holder of the licence must assess the risk from exposure to legionella within the premises, whether or not the premises are served by a private water supply.”

That assessment is not listed in condition 12 as a document that must be available to guests. A guest-display duty for the legionella assessment was not found. Do not invent one.

Insurance (condition 15): valid buildings insurance for the duration of the licence, and valid public liability insurance for the duration of each short-term let agreement. Also not listed in condition 12 as a guest-facing document. A guest-display duty for the insurance certificates was not found in condition 12.

Maximum occupancy (condition 11): the number of guests must not exceed the number specified in the licence.

The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022, Schedule 3

Fire risk assessment

mygov.scot says: “The person in charge of the accommodation must make sure a fire risk assessment is carried out.”

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service short-term lets page (last updated 28 October 2026; last checked 11 November 2026, Europe/London) says short-term let premises used for sleeping accommodation are subject to fire safety duties under Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, and:

“A fire risk assessment may be carried out: By the duty holder, only where they are competent to do so, or By a suitably qualified third-party fire risk assessor. If you are unsure whether you are competent, you should seek professional advice. We do not carry out fire risk assessments on behalf of duty holders.”

That “competent” wording is SFRS’s own, for Scotland. It is not the Home Office England phrasing (“if you feel able to do so”). Do not mix the two. Letsafely does not carry out the assessment.

Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Short term lets mygov.scot, Legal requirements for short-term let accommodation

Local council conditions

mygov.scot says: “Local councils can also set extra conditions. They should list any extra conditions on their website.”

This page does not list any council’s extra conditions. Public policy documents exist, but they were not fetched and re-read for the draft, so their extra wording is not confirmed here. Check your own council.

FAQ

Do I only need the guest folder, or also the licence number on the advert? Both, if the official conditions apply: condition 12 is about information on the premises; condition 14 is about the listing or advert.

Must guests be able to see the legionella assessment? Schedule 3 requires you to assess the risk. It does not list that assessment in the condition 12 guest-information list. Do not invent a display duty.

Does Letsafely issue these documents? No. A reminder or log is not a licence, not a gas safety report, not an EICR, not a PAT report, and not a fire risk assessment.

Sources

All last checked 11 November 2026, Europe/London.

Related reading: gas safety checks for holiday lets, EICRs for holiday lets, and a free smoke and heat alarm test log.

A note about Letsafely

Hastech is building Letsafely, a reminder and log tool for holiday-let safety checks. A full version is planned. There is nothing to join here yet. This article does not take payment and does not apply for a licence or issue certificates.