Public and private water supplies
Supporting information for Scottish Landlord Registration
Key points
Most properties let by landlords in Scotland are in urban areas and have a public water supply from Scottish Water. Properties in more rural or remote parts of Scotland may have a private water supply. Private water supplies in Scotland are the responsibility of owners and users and are regulated by local authorities.
Further context
Landlords whose properties are supply by Scottish Water should refer to their website to find any further information they need. If a tenant reports a problem with the water supply there is a section on the Scottish Water website to check what is happening in any Scottish postcode area.
Under the (Private Supplies) (Scotland) Regulations 2017 introduced by the Scottish Government in October 2017 privately rented properties are considered commercial premises. Landlords should refer to the mygov.scot website to find any further information needed on their responsibilities with regard to supply and maintenance of private water supplies for rental property.