Updates

The Novoville Shared Repairs app was developed in partnership with the City of Edinburgh Council and launched in 2021 to help make the shared repairs process smoother. This month we have a guest article from the creators of Novoville Shared Repairs, explaining the reasoning behind the app and its key features that help make shared repairs more manageable.

Organising common repairs can be time consuming and stressful, and the common repairs process can be difficult to navigate. Following proper procedures is a critical element in the repairs process, and is essential should you need external help from your local council or if you need to take legal action.

All flat owners in a tenement building have a responsibility to maintain and manage the building. This includes their individual flat as well as the exterior and common parts of the building, such as the close and stairs, the roof, the external walls, and the foundations.

In our June newsletter and on our social media, we asked for information and tips from tenement owners who have successfully set up an owners’ association. We received several responses and one owner agreed to be interviewed about their experience.

In any tenement building, the owners are responsible for the management and maintenance of their building. If no factor has been appointed to help maintain and manage the building, then the owners will need to self-factor.

All owners of tenement flats should have adequate building insurance. For landlords, building insurance is a legal requirement under the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004. Not having an insurance policy can result in landlords failing to fulfil their legal obligations, facing significant costs if damage occurs to the property, and potentially legal action against them.

Getting to know who the co-owners are in your building is important and it is good practice to have a list of their names and contact details. If you don’t know who owns a flat in your building, then there are things you can do to find out.