Westfield Court

The building

We’re aware of concerns raised by Living Rent and some owners at Westfield Court regarding the next steps for the building. This page provides clear, factual information to answer common questions and clarify misunderstandings.

The building's condition

A comprehensive full building condition survey report was completed in June 2025. It was carried out by independent and fully qualified external consultants and shared with all owners and residents.

The consultants identified that significant repairs and investments are needed in the building to meet fire, social housing and safety standards. Whilst the report focused primarily on repairs and essential maintenance it also included information on improvement options.

Since the report was completed, some parts of the building have deteriorated and emergency work on the stacks, heating system and masonry (orlit panels) has taken place to provide temporary safety measures and repairs until a way forward for can be agreed by owners.

All the reports have been commissioned by us as an owner in the block, not because we are the Factor. As factor we have facilitated the communications between owners only.

Options for the building

Options for repairing the building were outlined and shared with owners in the June 2025 Building Condition Survey Report and in a more recent updated report on 13 March 2026.

Council officers have carried out significant engagement with owners and residents to discuss these options and to ensure they are fully aware of the building’s condition. A further report is due to go to the Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee on 1 June outlining these options.

In addition, some owners have prepared their own alternative repair proposals. We will consider any proposals or solutions submitted by owners, however there is still no formal consensus amongst owners about the preferred next steps or who will be taking a lead.  

While residents are absolutely entitled to seek their own opinions and to challenge decisions, we need to be realistic that continued delay in repairs may lead to increased costs and prolong an outcome that is ultimately unavoidable.

A full list of engagement with owners and residents can be found below which includes regular updates, information and discussion sessions, one to one meetings and specialist staff being available in the building and at our local office in Wester Hailes three days a week specifically to meet with owners and residents and to answer any questions or concerns.

Costs

All owners, including the Council, are responsible for paying for their share of repairs to the building as set out in their title deeds.

All costs for repair options are estimates prepared by external qualified consultants and final cost estimates cannot be obtained until a repair plan is agreed by owners.

The challenges to maintain and repair this building are highly complex and the scale and cost of work to address the ongoing issues is significant, with the additional recommended options to bring the properties up to higher standard further adding to the estimated costs. Owners have expressed the costs are unaffordable and whilst grants or payment plans can be explored, it is highly likely that the costs will remain unaffordable for most owners even if spread over a considerable time.  

The building is continuing to deteriorate and is approaching the end of its usable life. All owners, including the Council, must be realistic and make responsible decisions about its future.

The Council's roles and responsibilities at Westfield Court

As a council, we have multiple responsibilities: as landlord to our tenants, as part owners of the block, as factors acting on behalf of owners and as a regulatory authority. All recommendations and decisions are being taken in our role as property owners and landlords, informed by professional advice from our own officers, as well as independent external experts.

The Council (in our role as property factor) can manage repairs and maintenance on behalf of owners if the majority of owners vote to go ahead with them. There are some exceptions to this, for example if the cost amounts to less than £50 per property.

If emergency work needs to be done due to a health and safety issue, any owner, including the Council, can use the Tenement Management Scheme as set out in the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 to do work. We recently used these powers to provide temporary safety measures for loose masonry (orlit panels) around the the building and to repair leaking pipes which were impacting the heating system.

For more information on the process there is advice here Reaching decisions, Under One Roof. The Scottish Government website Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 includes full detail on the Tenement Management Scheme (TMS) process for voting on works within mixed tenure blocks. The Council, as a co-owner in the block, shares this responsibility with other owners. In our role as property factor we communicate proposals with all owners to get the authority to carry out works on their behalf. We have no additional authority or responsibility than other owners.

Engagement with owners and residents

We have carried out significant engagement with owners and residents and continue to do so. Specialist staff have been available in the building from 21 October 2025 and since 5 March 2026 at our local office in Wester Hailes three days a week to provide a ‘drop-in service’, meet with owners and residents, and to answer any questions or concerns.

The December 2025 committee report on Westfield Court highlights

  • a comprehensive timeline of actions and communications with owners between 2018 and October 2025 (appendix 4, pages 26 - 40)
  • a breakdown of repairs and maintenance that owners agreed to between 2019 and 2025 (appendix 7, pages 51 - 84).

In addition to phonecalls, emails and one to one meetings with owners and residents, communications from us include:

2025

  • 21 March 2025 - letter to notify that the building survey is starting soon
  • 29 April 2025 – letter with report by Harmony Fire Ltd outlining urgent fire safety recommendations and waking watch set up
  • 20 May 2025 – letter outlining the next steps for the fire safety work
  • 20 June 2025 – letter to notify that the building condition survey report is being finalised and dates for information sessions
  •  26 June 2025 - building condition survey report, prepared by external consultants, issued to owners. Information pack included:
    • cover letter 
    • summary report drafted by consultant (full report available upon request due to file size) 
    • frequently asked questions document 
    • list of independent advice agencies 
    • glossary of terms
  • 27/ 30 June and 4 July – information sessions for owners and residents to discuss survey results and the recommendations
  • 6 July - letter with minutes from owner and resident sessions, next steps and update on leaking soil vents in block five
  • 4 August – letter to make people aware that due to the leaking soil vents in block five, we are decanting all council tenants from the properties on the left hand side of that block
  • 3 September – letter about asbestos testing in the block as part of the soil vent pipe repairs
  • 18 September – letter about the installation of a replacement control system on the communal heating system
  • 9 Oct – letter about a leaking soil stack in block six
  • 17 Oct  - letter with an update on the issues with leaking soil vents and clarification of the Council’s various roles in the block
  • 20 Oct  - letter alongside door knocking by specialist officers about the deterioration of the soil vents in some service risers and our decision to decant impacted council tenants
  • Oct / Nov - Meetings: series of 1-2-1 meetings for owners and residents with the Head of High Rise Management and Investment
  • 12 Nov - notice of upcoming rope access survey of the external building fabric, including an assessment of the condition of the orlit panels
  • 19 Nov – letter, FAQs and door knocking by specialist officers with update to owners on the proposed December report for committee which will include options being considered for the building.
  • 3 Dec - letter and door knocking by specialist officers with update on result of the December committee
  • 30 Dec - letter clarifying the repairs process

2026

  • 8 January 2026 - letter update that due to the information required for the February committee report more time is needed to prepare it and it is now going to the May committee meeting
  • 28 Jan – letter with update about the issue with the heating system and plans to fix it
  • 30 Jan – letter with heating update
  • 30 Jan – posters about heating issues
  • 5 Feb – letter with notification of the Business Bulletin going to committee
  • 10 Feb - letter with update and more detail on repairs timeline for heating system
  • 10 Feb - letter: Notification of upcoming rope access surveys
  • 12 Feb – Newsletter 
    • Change of date for committee report 
    • Preparation of supplementary building condition survey report 
    • Update on acquisitions – policy has been drafted and once agreed by councillors we will be in touch 
    • Inspection of orlit panels scheduled for later this month 
    • Roof inspections taking place 
    • Information sessions being planned 
    • Listed building application 
    • Link to watch deputation and committee from earlier in the week
  • 20 Feb - letter: acquisitions proposals letter
  • 5 March - Newsletter – included notification/update of 
    • Change in venue for the drop in sessions 
    • Building condition survey
    • Information sessions 
    • Proposal for buying flats
    • Upcoming Committee report
    • Monitoring the Orlit panels
  • 13 March – letter and copy of the supplementary building condition report that was prepared by Atkins Realis   
  • 17 March - meeting: Teams engagement session regarding supplementary report
  • 19 March - meeting: In Person engagement session regarding supplementary report
  • 27 March - letter: notification regarding loose masonry on building and emergency action being taken to put up crash decks
  • 27 March – posters about the loose masonry
  • 30 March – letter – update on loose masonry and emergency actions
  • 2 April - letter: External fabric update - full rope access survey report is available on request (due to its large file size)
  • 22 April - meeting: Council officers attended the Edinburgh Living Rent meeting in capacity of co-owner in the block
  • 24 April – letter about report going to committee in June instead of May to allow more time for engagement
  • 12 May - newsletter
    • How we communicate
    • Update on leaking soil vent pipes
    • Crash decks and monitoring the orlit panels
    • Proposal for buying flats
    • Upcoming committee report
    • Drop-in sessions
    • Contact information

Living Rent

Living Rent is a tenants’ union that represents some owners in Westfield Court. Whilst we will continue to have an open dialogue with Living Rent and to support their members, it is important to highlight that we have been contacted by other owners and residents in the building who say that Living Rent do not represent them and they do not agree with their position.

We have also been contacted by owners and residents who understand the issues faced and support the difficult decisions being considered.