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Is
this information for me? Edinburgh is a city of tenements and the tenement way of life can be one that is environmentally friendly and sustainable. As a resident in a tenement flat you will probably live close to your work and close to local amenities. Tenement living can be very successful, especially if all residents co-operate and show consideration for each other. Where disputes or problems do arise the City of Edinburgh Council can often assist by using its legal powers to resolve them. Detailed on the following pages are issues that have been raised as a result of tenement living. Both residents and owner/occupiers should be aware of their responsibilities with regard to these issues and of who they can contact for help.
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can I contact my landlord? If you need to find out where an absentee landlord lives, perhaps to discuss common repairs, you should contact: Registers of Scotland Customer Services Erskine House 68 Queen Street Edinburgh EH2 4NF T.: 0131 659 6111 (open between the hours of 10am - 4pm, Monday to Friday) You may also consult the Electoral Register free of charge by contacting the Assessor's Department on 0131 455 7455. However, this will only tell you who lives in a certain property, and not who owns it.
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Stair
cleaning Many residents find that a rota system works well. For example, if there are three flats on each landing, you will be responsible for sweeping and washing the landing and the stair down to the landing below once every three weeks. In addition, if there are nine flats in total, you will also be expected to sweep and wash the common passage at the bottom of the stair every ninth week. This type of rota system is very popular in Edinburgh and usually involves the use of rota cards which are passed from flat to flat in turn. If you receive such a card please make sure that you take your turn cleaning the stair and remember to pass the card on. Rota cards can be obtained from the City of Edinburgh Council, Environmental and Consumer Services.
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If there are continual problems of domestic noise, Environmental and Consumer Services can become involved and this could lead to prosecution. Please remember that playing music too loud is a nuisance. Police can treat this as an offence under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and they can now enter premises to confiscate the offending noise producing equipment. Edinburgh has the most liberal licensing hours for pubs and clubs in the whole of Great Britain and many of these pubs / clubs are located below residential flats. Residents can be disturbed by noise, particularly when people leave these establishments at the end of the evening. So, remember to show consideration if you are leaving a pub yourself, and help Edinburgh maintain its late licensing hours.
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Accommodation
standards
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Putting
out your domestic waste
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Rapid
Response
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Neighbourhood
disagreements
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Edinburgh Stair Partnership This is the Council's new factoring service for private flat-owners who want to keep their tenements in good condition. When owners join, Housing Officers survey their tenement, produce a report showing the condition of the property and - with the agreement of the owners - can arrange for repairs, collect each share of the cost, supervise the work and pay the contractors. For more
details:
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Communal
repairs – resolving the conflicts
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| Houses
in Multiple Occupation (HMO) Houses in Multiple Occupation are essentially shared accommodation including flats, bedsits, lodgings, bed and breakfast premises and other communal accommodation such as student residencies and hostels. Houses within a building which, although separate, share use of a toilet or personal washing facilities, are taken to form part of a single household. Under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000, it is mandatory from 1 October 2000 for all HMO's to be licensed. All local authorities must establish a mandatory licensing scheme and all those who are HMO owners must apply for and obtain a licence. To be classified as a licensable HMO the accommodation must be the only or principal residence of a specified number of people who are not members either of the same family or of one or other of two families. As from 1 October 2000 the mandatory licensing scheme covers properties with 6 or more people and will reduce annually to the minimum level ie 3 or more. If your property falls into one of these categories, please contact the Housing Team, Environmental and Consumer Services Department for further information about HMOs. Tel: 0131 529 3030. |
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useful contacts for students Elizabeth Beattie (Associate Director)Accommodation Services The University of Edinburgh St Leonard's Hall Pollock Halls 18 Holyrood Park Road Edinburgh EH16 5AY Tel: 0131 667 1971
Ms Helen Crocker (Manager) Alistair
Risk Allan Brown |
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Living
in tenement flats:
