Tenement dwellings - provision of Building Reserve Funds: report

8. Vignettes

These vignettes provide relevant context and inspiration relating to repair and maintenance of tenements.

Under One Roof

Under One Roof was launched with Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland (RIAS) assistance as part of Scottish Government’s Year of Innovation, Architecture and Design 2016.

Registered as a charity in Scotland, its sponsors from across private and public sources.

Its website is for owners all types of common property and their advisers.^[53] This offers general guidance on topics including:

• Knowing your neighbours.
• Get your building surveys every 5 years.
• Save for repairs.
• Get professional help.
• Know your responsibilities.
• Repairs and maintenance of different types of buildings.
• A repair checker.

Recommends groups of owners seeking professional help for their particular case.

‘Under One Roof are a fantastic source of information and assistance. It’s a fantastic resource for the public and really helps lay out the reality for the public’ (quote from stakeholder discussion group).

Novoville- Shared Repairs

Novoville was selected by the City of Edinburgh Council (CEC) to help solve the big challenge of managing the shared areas in privately owned tenements across the city. The initiative was part of the Scottish Government`s CivTech Accelerator programme.^[54]

A mobile app was designed to encourage, support and enable private tenement flat owners to proactively take responsibility for planning and organising repairs and maintenance^[55]

Novoville launched this Shared Repairs app in Edinburgh in April 2021. Features allow owners to:

• Invite other owners to join.
• Report issues for repair or maintenance.
• Set up maintenance plans.
• Access quotes from Trusted Traders.
• Vote in-app.
• Open FCA- regulated maintenance accounts.

During this research Novoville shared some early insights with us:

• 56% of people joining do so as current in need of a repair
• 75% of those joining do not have a maintenance account already in place
• A majority of repairs so far have gone through on equal share
• 20 repairs have been organised, sourced and paid for so far through the app
• No buildings have all owners, but many have over half of owners on the app
• The app is being developed and improved so it can correspond to best practice, and any new complimentary programming or regulations.

Traditional Buildings Health Check

The Traditional Buildings Health Check Scheme was originally a pilot project which ran from 2013 – 2018. It was initiated by Historic Scotland (now Historic Environment Scotland) in partnership with Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Scotland. Stirling City Heritage Trust (SCHT) was responsible for the design, delivery and management of the membership service in partnership with the funding bodies.

This scheme focussed on a proactive maintenance scheme for traditional buildings built before or around 1919, including older tenements. Offering:

• Inspection Service
• Schedule of Repairs
• Members-only services including events and advice
• Repair grants.

The pilot evaluation found:^[56]

• 137 buildings were inspected
• Repair works commissioned for an estimated 120 member properties
• £1.3million estimated spend by owners on properties
• £705,000 to deliver the pilot.

Stirling City Heritage Trust is continuing this unique service in Stirling as part of the core activities of the Trust

‘Care is better than Repair’ (TBHC slogan)