Tenement and flat owners are being reminded of the support available when it comes to improving their properties.
As part of the existing Scheme of Assistance, landlords and owners across the region are being encouraged to seek help through the Missing Share Scheme - a new initiative designed to overcome barriers that can often delay essential repairs in tenement and flatted properties.
Help available
Help is available to allow owners to progress repairs to shared parts of a building, such as roofs, gutters and external walls – when one or more owners are unable or unwilling to pay their share or cannot be traced.
And where the Scheme’s requirements are met – the Council may pay the outstanding shared owed by the owner who has not contributed.
Councillor Carol Hamilton, Executive Member for Housing and Culture
“This initiative could help owners overcome some of the barriers to getting work done.
“We recognise that owners in tenement buildings can face difficulties progressing essential common repairs when other owners are unwilling or unable to contribute. This can cause significant delays or prevent necessary works from taking place.
“We hope that the Missing Share Scheme will allow important repair works to proceed and contribute to our wider aim of improving housing conditions across our local communities.”
Repairs and shared cost
To be considered for support through the Missing Share Scheme, a majority of owners must agree to the proposed works and demonstrate that the correct procedures have been followed to approve the repairs and share costs.
This will normally be determined by the property’s title deeds or where these are unclear or inconsistent, the Tenement (Scotland) Act 2004.
The Council is urging owners to get in touch early to access support and ensure they meet the requirements of the Scheme.
Advice is available on arranging common repairs, liaising with fellow owners and progressing repair projects.
Owners can also use the Novoville Shared Repairs app to coordinate with neighbours, track progress and securely collect payments towards repair costs.