The application will make it much easier for anyone to search the public register of landlords; for landlords to apply for or renew their registration; and for local authorities to maintain the register in their areas.

Developed by Registers of Scotland (RoS) for the Scottish Government, it is aligned with Government Digital Standards, and can be accessed using a smartphone, tablet or computer.

Introduced by the Anti-social Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004, landlord registration requires local authorities to maintain a register of all landlords letting out properties in their area. Before a landlord can be registered they must meet a fit and proper person test.

Since the on-line register was introduced in 2006, digital technology and standards have evolved. The new system has been built to reflect users’ needs, making it straightforward for landlords to apply for and renew their registration.

Housing minister Kevin Stewart said the new application provides a better and more accessible service for those who need to use it.

He added: “Crucially, it will reduce the time that local authority staff need to spend administering the system, freeing them up to target those landlords who either don’t or won’t comply with the landlord registration requirements. That will help to improve standards for the 700,000 people whose home is in the private rented sector.

“I am delighted by the collaboration between Registers of Scotland, the Scottish Government and local authorities on this project, and am grateful for the hard work of those who worked on it, including the many local authority landlord registration officers who helped to test it before it went live today.”

Over the last 12 months, RoS and the Scottish Government have collaborated with local authority landlord registration officers so that the application enables them to use the registration process and the data in the register to ensure that landlords are complying with their legal responsibilities and to target those who do not.

Sheenagh Adams, the Keeper of the Registers of Scotland, said: “By working with the Scottish Government and local authorities, Registers of Scotland has developed a new landlord registration application that will bring significant benefits to the sector as a whole.

“The new application is a key part of our business transformation, utilising digital technologies that allow us to deliver even better value for the public. The collaboration has been extremely successful, and I would like to thank all of those involved for their hard work.”

The register is one of a number of measures that the Scottish Government is taking to improve standards in the Private Rented Sector.

The landlord register can be accessed at: www.landlordregistrationscotland.gov.uk.