Thousands of Highland Council tenants will see new legal rights come into effect from 1 August as changes to Scottish housing law strengthen protections and modernise tenancy rules.

The changes apply to all Scottish Secure Tenancy tenants, including those whose tenancies began before 1 August 2026, and stem from the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 and the Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Act 2021.

Among the most significant changes are new legal protections for people experiencing domestic abuse.

The new rules allow social landlords to apply to remove a perpetrator of domestic abuse from a tenancy, while helping victim survivors remain in, or return to, their home where appropriate.

Where the legal conditions are met, the victim survivor can be granted the tenancy in their own name, giving them greater security and choice without automatically losing their home.

Changes have also been introduced to succession rights following the death of a tenant.

Anyone seeking to succeed to a tenancy must have lived in the property as their only or principal home for at least six months before the tenant’s death, reducing the previous qualifying period of twelve months.

However, residents must also have informed their landlord in writing when they moved into the property, rather than waiting until they make a succession claim.

The legislation also brings tenancy administration more in line with modern communication, allowing notices to be issued by email or other electronic methods where tenants have agreed to receive them in that way.

Another significant change gives tenants a new legal right to request permission to keep a pet.

Landlords must now consider those requests reasonably and cannot unreasonably refuse permission, although tenants remain responsible for ensuring animals are properly cared for and do not cause nuisance or damage to neighbouring properties.

Highland Council is encouraging tenants with questions about the new legislation or how the changes may affect them to contact their Housing Officer for advice and further information.

The changes form part of a wider update to the Scottish Secure Tenancy Agreement and are intended to strengthen tenant protections while reflecting the way people live and communicate today.