Shared housing repairs

What are shared repairs?

If you own a tenement flat, you are also responsible for maintaining those parts in which you have a 'common interest'. These include the parts that provide support and shelter for the building as a whole, such as the external walls and normally the roof. Where these areas fall into disrepair, all owners are responsible for the funding and implementation of necessary works to return them to a suitable standard. The portion of responsibility for each premises within the building may be set out in the title deeds or decided in a Tenement Management Scheme. These are often referred to as Common Repairs.

What help is available?

In the first instance, discussions to reach agreement between all owners in the building should be arranged to ensure that all concerns are raised, and all owners are aware of the issues. Where this is not possible, funding issues or disagreement may prevent essential repairs from moving forward, leading to further disrepair. These issues can arise for a variety of reasons, but help may be available. Perth & Kinross Council, and other external organisations, may have access to funds to help people in these situations.

Missing shares

Perth and Kinross Council may be able to assist owners in situations where communal repair is required but works cannot be progressed as a result of an owner, or owners, being unwilling or unable to fund their share of the required works, or where owners cannot be found.

Applications to the Missing Shares Service may be made where all reasonable attempts have been made to contact any unresponsive owners, and all other financial options have been explored and exhausted.

The application process will involve gathering the following necessary documents and evidence:

• A site visit, meeting or written correspondence with the Missing Shares Officer
• Details of the proposed works which must meet the definition of maintenance
• Evidence of contact/attempted contact with the owners and any responses received
• Title Deeds for all properties
• Copies of quotes obtained to ensure confirmation that costs are reasonable
• Formal notice having been given to all owners noting the repairs, the costs, the date the share is required to be paid
• Attempts to secure alternative funding

Works must not start prior to the approval of a missing share.

Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis and prioritised based on Public Health requirements and funding availability.

If a decision is made that the Council will pay a missing share into a maintenance account, Perth and Kinross Council will make attempts to establish contact with the owner and make them aware of their rights and responsibilities. The Council will also confirm that in each and every case they will recover the missing share, as well as additional administrative and legal costs via the Council's debt recovery process.  This will ultimately lead to the arrangement of a payment plan or the placement of a repayment charge against that owner's property.

An application information pack, including standard letters, is available by emailing MissingShares@pkc.gov.uk. 

Novoville - Shared Repairs App

Launched by the company Novoville, Novoville Shared Repairs is a new app-based service designed to help you carry out common repairs to your tenement. From organising yourself to getting trader quotes and opening a digital payment account for your building: the app does much of the heavy lifting for you. It is not required that all proprietors join the app. Fees apply only where repairs are successfully carried out. Novoville Shared Repairs has been built in collaboration with Scottish councils and is supported by Perth & Kinross Council and Under One Roof. For more information download the app.