Property Factor Register Scotland: What Homeowners Should Check Before Choosing or Changing a Factor
Before you appoint a property factor, check that the business appears on the Scottish Property Factor Register. It is a straightforward starting point for homeowners comparing services, reviewing their current arrangement or buying into a building with shared responsibilities.
The register helps you establish who you are dealing with. Choosing the right factor also means understanding how that business will look after your building, communicate with owners and explain costs. At Factors Direct, we believe those conversations should happen before you make a commitment.
What the Property Factor Register tells you
The Scottish Property Factor Register is the official public register of property factors operating in Scotland. Businesses and organisations that meet the legal definition of a property factor must register. This includes private companies, housing associations and local authorities providing factoring services.
Registered factors must follow the statutory Code of Conduct, which sets minimum standards for their work. Registration is an essential check, but it does not tell you whether a particular service will suit your building.
How to search the register
Start with the official Scottish Government register. You can search using the factor’s name, a property address or the location of land. This lets you check a prospective factor or identify the factor recorded for an existing building.
Review the business details and compare them with the name on the proposal or correspondence you have received. If the trading name differs, ask the factor to explain the relationship. The register also provides the latest reported number of properties a factor manages.
If you cannot find a business, check the spelling and ask for its registered details. Contact the registration team if the position remains unclear. Keep a dated note of your check alongside the proposal so other owners can review the same information.
What a list of property factors in Scotland cannot tell you
A register entry cannot show how well your next repair will be handled. Nor does a large property portfolio, by itself, tell you how much attention your building will receive.
When comparing a list of property factors in Scotland, use registration to establish the basics, then investigate the service. Ask who will manage your building, how cover works when that person is unavailable and what happens when a contractor misses an appointment.
A useful answer describes a process you can understand. For example, who follows up an outstanding roof inspection, and when will owners hear back? This gives you something more concrete to assess than a promise of excellent customer service.
Ask each shortlisted factor to explain how they would get to know the building at the outset. Would they review outstanding repairs, existing contracts and previous inspection reports? What information would they need from owners? A clear answer helps you see whether their proposal responds to your circumstances. It also gives neighbours a practical basis for discussing the service, especially when their concerns range from persistent leaks to the upkeep of shared gardens.
Read the Written Statement of Services
Ask to see the proposed Written Statement of Services and charges before deciding. Under the Code, this document sets out the arrangement between the factor and homeowners, including the basis of its authority to act.
Look for the core services, repair response targets, inspection arrangements and management fees. Check what attracts additional charges, how shared costs are divided, and any arrangements for a float or reserve fund. Read the complaints procedure and the terms for ending the arrangement too.
Ask for any unclear wording to be explained in writing. Comparing two headline fees is much easier once you understand what each covers and what would be charged separately.
Ask questions that fit your building
For an Edinburgh tenement in Marchmont or Leith, you could ask how the factor approaches shared roof inspections, stonework concerns and access for repairs. Ask how findings would be explained to owners who have different priorities and budgets.
For a modern Glasgow block with lifts, landscaped grounds and shared entrance systems, ask how those different services would be coordinated. Who checks contractor attendance, and how are recurring faults tracked?
These are examples of questions to explore, rather than assumptions about every building in those areas. Bring photographs, recent bills or details of unresolved work to the conversation. A factor should be able to discuss your property’s needs without relying on a standard sales pitch.
Richard Quinn on choosing a factor
“My advice is to bring one real issue from your building to the first conversation. Ask how it would be handled, who would keep you updated and how the cost would be explained. That helps you understand what working with the factor would feel like.”
Make your shortlist useful to everyone
Share the register results, service documents and answers with your neighbours. Record any points that still need clarification. This helps owners compare the same information and keeps the discussion focused on what the building needs.
If you are considering a new arrangement, our Changing Factors guide explains the practical next steps. You can also visit About Us to meet the Factors Direct team. Speak to us about your building and the questions you would like answered before choosing a factor.
