The market right now
Updated 25 September 2026
£196kAverage Scottish house price
£1,013Average monthly rent
8%Additional Dwelling Supplement
3.75%Bank of England base rate
Start here
The big decisions, one at a time
Guide · 01
Personal or limited company?
The decision guide covering tax, mortgages, and ADS differences between the two routes.
Read the guide
Guide · 02
Repayment or interest-only?
How each works, who they tend to suit, and why leverage is the real reason landlords often choose interest-only.
Read the guide
Latest articles
New every week
AI toolkit
Pick one AI tool and learn it properly
With about an hour a day to learn, one tool learnt well beats five learnt a little.
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AI toolkit
Screenshot it and ask Claude
The simple AI trick I use when I don't understand a letter, form or error message.
Read the article
Property market
Aberdeen buy-to-let in 2026
Yields of up to 9.8%, but prices still falling. The numbers and the risks.
Read the article
Property market
Scottish rents have stopped rising
Advertised rents fell for the first time since 2017. What it means for landlords and tenants.
Read the article
£50,000What I paid for my first flat in Aberdeen
~30%Below market value, found through a sourcer
BRRRBuy, refurbish, refinance, repeat
My property journey
How I bought my first buy-to-let
The real numbers and decisions behind my first rental property in Scotland.
Read my storyIn the news
What's changed, and why it matters
Market
Three of the nine committee members voted to raise it to 4% on 17 September 2026.
The Bank of England kept the base rate at 3.75% on 17 September 2026. The vote was 6 to 3, and the three members who disagreed wanted a rise to 4%, mainly because of higher energy prices. Fixed mortgage rates have already gone up. Moneyfacts puts the average two-year fixed rate at 5.73% in mid-September, almost 0.9 percentage points higher than in March. The next decision is on 5 November 2026. You can test different rates in the mortgage calculator.
Market
The average price reached £196,000 in July 2026. Aberdeen is still falling.
The UK House Price Index for July 2026 puts the average Scottish home at £196,000, up 2.3% on a year earlier. Edinburgh rose 4.0% to about £304,000 and Glasgow rose 2.6% to about £194,000. Aberdeen fell again, down 8.7% to about £131,000. Rents are growing more slowly. The average Scottish rent was £1,013 a month in August 2026, up 1.1% in a year.
Tax
Landlords in England and Northern Ireland will pay 2% more tax on rental income from April 2027.
The UK Government is raising income tax on rental income by 2 percentage points from April 2027 in England and Northern Ireland, and relief on mortgage interest is set to go from 20% to 22%. In Scotland, the Scottish Government sets these rates. It is due to announce its decision in the Scottish Budget on 3 December 2026, so Scottish landlords don't know yet which rates will apply from April 2027. Landlords who own through a limited company are not affected, which is one more factor in the personal vs limited company decision.
Tax
Since April 2026, landlords with income over £50,000 must send HMRC quarterly updates.
Since 6 April 2026, landlords whose gross income from property and self-employment is over £50,000 must keep digital records and send quarterly updates to HMRC using approved software, plus a final declaration at the end of the year. The threshold drops to £30,000 from April 2027 and £20,000 from April 2028. Salary and pension income don't count towards it. Limited companies are not included and keep filing a corporation tax return.
Rules
The new Energy Performance Certificates will start on 30 April 2028, not October 2026.
On 27 August 2026 the Scottish Government confirmed that the new EPC system is delayed. It was due to start on 31 October 2026 and will now start on 30 April 2028, with new ratings and a new certificate design. For one year after that, homes being sold or let can use either an old or a new EPC. One thing still happens this year: the fee for lodging a domestic EPC goes up from £2.60 to £6.00 on 31 October 2026.
First-time buyers
Open since 24 June 2026 for homes up to £300,000. It is shared equity, not a gift.
The Scottish Government's First Homes Fund gives first-time buyers up to £10,000 towards a home worth up to £300,000. It is a shared equity loan, not a grant. There is no interest and no monthly payment, but the government keeps a share in your home, which you pay back when you sell. You apply through mygov.scot, and only some lenders take part, so check with your mortgage adviser before you count on it.