Scheme of assistance

This page contains information relating to the advice and practical assistance available to owners, landlords and occupiers of private rented accommodation in East Dunbartonshire.

As part of the implementation of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, we have developed a Scheme of Assistance for occupiers of private sector housing who may become involved in property repair, improvement or adaptation.

The underlying principles of the Act are:

• Owners have primary responsibility for maintaining their houses, with assistance available where necessary
• Landlords should provide houses that are suitable and in good condition.

Part 2 (Section 72) of the 2006 Act requires local authorities to set out the circumstances in which they will offer support in the form of a Scheme of Assistance which details how the Council will provide and prioritise particular types of information, advice, practical and financial assistance to people living in the private sector.

The Council has prioritised within its Scheme of Assistance, disabled adaptations, mixed tenure re-roofing works for flatted properties, and dwellings which fail to meet the tolerable standard. If you feel you require an adaptation to be made to your home you should contact The Council’s Occupational Therapy Service on 0141 355 2200. If you would like to discuss re-roofing or BTS works then please contact The Council’s Private Sector Officer on 0141 578 8255/0141 574 5611.

The information contained in the Private Sector Housing Handbook sets out the Council’s preliminary advice for owners, landlords and occupiers of private rented accommodation concerned with the repair, improvement and adaptation of their property.

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 gives local authorities powers to provide a wide range of advice, information, practical and financial assistance to homeowners. It also requires that all Landlords should provide houses that are suitable, in good condition and meet the Repairing Standard.

While the The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 provides assistance to owners, it does not alter the underlying principle that owners have primary responsibility for maintaining their own homes.

Section 72 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 obliges local authorities to make available a statement of assistance which sets out the circumstances in which they will offer support, in the form of a Scheme of Assistance.

The following statement sets out East Dunbartonshire Council’s Scheme of Assistance and details how the Council will provide and prioritise particular types of information and advice as well as practical and financial assistance to people living in private sector housing.

East Dunbartonshire’s Local Outcome Improvement Plan 2017-2027 is an agreement between the Council, its Community Planning partners and the people of East Dunbartonshire highlighting the key strategic priorities to improve quality of life in the area.

It underpins the funding provided to local government and sets out a national performance framework based around the strategic objectives of the Scottish Government which are underpinned by a number of national outcomes, national performance indicators and local performance indicators.

The Scheme of Assistance is guided by The Local Housing Strategy 2022 (LHS) in making the best use of the provisions of The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, along with other legislation to assist in meeting our aim of ensuring an ongoing supply of quality housing in East Dunbartonshire that meets future needs.

The Scheme of Assistance’s vision is to support all residents of East Dunbartonshire to live in warm, dry, safe and accessible properties.
This vision is informed by the LHS, key strategic priorities of which are aimed at improving housing conditions in East Dunbartonshire:

• “Achieving housing quality, affordable warmth and net zero homes”
• “Supporting people to live independently and well at home”.

To achieve this vision and aims, the Council and its partners will work together to help homeowners, private landlords and their tenants to enable them to take responsibility for maintaining their own properties. To achieve this the Council will make the most effective use of a hierarchy of assistance:

1. Information and guidance
2. Practical assistance
3. Grant funding – subject to availability and need
4. Regulation and enforcement.

Through this document the Council seeks to offer a broad range of assistance that most closely suits the particular needs of homeowners, private landlords and their tenants.

The Scheme of Assistance is split into two parts, which informs the structure of this document:

Section 1 - Common Parts

This relates to the jointly owned areas of a building that inhabitants tend not to live in. Assistance for this category relates mainly to the condition of the building and the need to improve its energy efficiency. The Housing Investment team are the principal point of contact for this area of assistance.

Section 2 - Private Homes

this relates to the private areas of a building. Assistance for this category tends to relate more to adaptation and the need to ensure people can continue to live in their homes following a change in their health and ability to use that property. Care and Repair are the principal point of contact for this area of assistance.

East Dunbartonshire Council will deliver assistance via the following services and partners:

Council Services:

• Housing Services
• Assets and Facilities
• Property Maintenance
• Building Standards
• Legal Services
• Finance Services
• Strategic Planning
• Environmental Health
• Care and Repair.

External Partners:

• Scottish Government
• Health and Social Care Partnership
• Home Energy Scotland
• Care and Repair
• Law Centres and Advice Agencies
• Landlord Accreditation Scotland
• The Housing and Property Chamber – First Tier Tribunal.

Advice may be provided by:

• Telephone
• Email or web contact
• Written correspondence
• Onsite visits by staff to assist owners to identify what works require to be carried out and to assist in prioritising works
• Meetings aimed at owners and occupiers.

This section sets out the context and objectives for the Scheme of Assistance. It should be read in conjunction with Section 3 – Access to Assistance which goes on to set out what forms of assistance are available and how to access them.

Mixed Ownership Blocks

East Dunbartonshire has many blocks that are held in mixed ownership – where more than one owner has a common obligation towards the repair and upkeep of common parts to a building.

Common parts can include:

• Roofs and associated drainage
• External walls to a building
• Common closes and doorways
• External spaces and boundaries.

Maintaining the condition of common parts to a mixed ownership block can be a challenge due to the potentially high cost of replacing components, because of the need to seek agreement from all owners within a block and the requirement to collect payment from other owners before proceeding.

This scheme is intended to address these particular challenges through the hierarchy of assistance.

Mixed Tenure Blocks (SHQS)

Often a mixed ownership block is also one that is Mixed Tenure - it contains both socially rented properties and Privately Owned properties. In these instances improvements to common parts may be required to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS), which places an additional emphasis on social landlords such as Councils and Housing Associations.

The standard contains the following broad quality criteria. Properties should be:

• Compliant with the tolerable standard
• Free from Serious Disrepair
• Energy efficient
• Provided with modern facilities and services
• Healthy, safe and secure.

East Dunbartonshire Council is committed to working with homeowners and landlords to optimise the expected change in attitude toward repair and maintenance. This, along with the delivery of the SHQS in the social sector, should see the quality of housing improved across all tenures.

The Scheme of Assistance utilises the SHQS’s definition of ‘Serious Disrepair’ in order to determine when a common part to a building has deteriorated significantly to the degree it would qualify for grant assistance. Normally this would entail 20% or more of the common part requiring repair or replacement.

Tolerable Standard

The Tolerable Standard is a basic measure against which the inhabitability of a building is measured. A building will normally have deteriorated to a seriously poor condition before it fails to meet the standard. It is less common for buildings to fall into this category due to a repairing issue than for it to fall into the less severe state of Serious Disrepair.

A house meets the Tolerable Standard if it:

• Is structurally stable
• Is substantially free from rising or penetrating damp
• Has satisfactory provision for natural and artificial lighting, for ventilation and for heating;
• Has satisfactory thermal insulation
• Has an adequate piped supply of wholesome water available within the house
• Has a sink provided with a satisfactory supply of both hot and cold water within the house
• Has a water closet [or waterless closet] available for the exclusive use of the occupants of the house and suitably located within the house
• Has a fixed bath or shower and a wash-hand basin, each provided with a satisfactory supply of both hot and cold water and suitably located within the house;
• Has an effective system for the drainage and disposal of foul and surface water
• In the case of a house having a supply of electricity, complies with the relevant requirements in relation to the electrical installation for the purposes of that supply;
  • “the electrical installation” is the electrical wiring and associated components and fittings, but excludes equipment and appliances;
  • “the relevant requirements” are that the electrical installation is adequate and safe to use
• Has satisfactory facilities for the cooking of food within the house
• Has satisfactory access to all external doors and outbuildings
• Has satisfactory equipment installed for detecting, and for giving warning of, fire or suspected fire
• Has satisfactory equipment installed for detecting, and for giving warning of, carbon monoxide present in a concentration that is hazardous to health.

Energy Efficiency

Improving energy efficiency is an important means of addressing both climate change and fuel poverty by reducing the amount of energy expended through measures such as:

• Fabric first improvements like Insulation and improved condition
• Use of renewable systems such as Photovoltaics and Air Source Heat Pumps.

Reducing Carbon Emissions

At the time of this policy being prepared a Climate Action Plan is being prepared to set out the steps that will be taken by the Council to support the Scottish Government's ambitious targets (Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Act 2019) to secure a:

• 75% reduction in carbon emissions (compared to 1990) by 2030,
• 90% reduction by 2040
• net zero emissions by 2045.

Addressing Fuel Poverty

The Scottish Government’s definition of fuel poverty is where a household spends more than 10% of its income heating their home to an adequate standard of warmth. The Council is committed to working with our partners to help tackle fuel poverty for residents living in all tenures of housing.

Energy Efficiency in Social Housing

In order to improve energy efficiency within the social housing sector, the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH) was introduced in March 2014 and set the first milestone for Social Rented homes to improve their energy efficiency by 31 December 2020. It supported the social housing sector to lead the way in the reduction of energy use, greenhouse gas emissions and fuel poverty through improving central heating boiler efficiency, insulation and window double glazing.

Much of the work on EESSH1 is completed and a second milestone - the Energy Efficiency Standard for Social Housing (EESSH2) was confirmed in June 2019. EESSH2 will help remove poor energy efficiency as a driver for fuel poverty and will contribute to achieving the Scottish Government’s Climate Change reduction targets. EESSH2 will help establish a low carbon economy across Scotland. Each Social Rented home will have to meet, or be treated as meeting EPC Band B, or be as energy efficient as practically possible, by the end of December 2032 and within the limits of cost, technology and necessary consent.

Energy Efficiency in Private Housing

In East Dunbartonshire over 80% of homes are Privately Owned or leased; as such the contribution of private housing towards energy efficiency objectives is of greater importance in meeting these targets. As yet there is no statutory requirement for this housing to meet an energy efficiency standard. However the Council and partners work with homeowners and private landlords to promote energy efficiency, primarily through the provision of insulation measures. Certain funds are available to promote improvements to building energy efficiency and the Council can help to facilitate and signpost towards these sources of funding.

Helping people to remain in their homes

The Scheme of Assistance is to provide people living in Privately Owned homes with appropriate levels of assistance that allows them to make informed choices and decisions regarding works to their homes. The Council will provide Information and Advice, Practical Support and Financial Assistance to anyone requiring assistance with private housing matters. The extent of support provided is set out in Section 3.

Care and Repair

To support this objective, East Dunbartonshire Council runs a Care and Repair service. The service specifically assists older people aged at least 65 years and disabled people aged 60 years or over living in Privately Owned homes, by enabling them to access repairs, improvements or adaptations to their home. The service offers practical advice and assistance to clients requiring both minor and major repairs to be carried out to their properties.

The role of Care and Repair is to:

• Assist in identifying small necessary repairs, maintenance and alteration work and to prioritise necessary action
• Assist in providing access to local authority grants for required works
• Assist in preparing schedules of works and obtain quotations from appropriate contractors
• Manage the repair and improvement/adaptations process and ensure works are carried out in accordance with the specification
• Assist clients with small but significant tasks where it may be disproportionately expensive or difficult to secure the services of a contractor.

Providing alternatives where adaption is not possible

There are some circumstances in which it would not be possible to adapt a property to enable a disabled person to continue living there. If this should become an issue, the Council will consider helping an affected household move house to more appropriate accommodation, but only where this demonstrably meets the medium to long term needs of the disabled person. The Council’s Occupational Therapy team and Housing services would liaise with the disabled person and/or their representative to help understand their needs and act accordingly.

The Council will make best endeavours to accommodate households, for instance by:

• Working with local specialist housing providers and Registered Social Landlords
• Seeking to acquire and adapt properties where appropriate (subject to budgetary constraints and availability)
• Considering development of bespoke properties within new-build sites.

On contact with the Private Sector Housing Team, an initial assessment will determine what advice may be offered and how best to deliver it. Enquiries will be responded to via the hierarchy of assistance.

Information and Advice

The scope of the advice may cover (but is not limited to):

• Damp and Condensation
• Lead Pipes and Asbestos in Your Home
• Empty Homes
• Home Energy Assistance and the Scottish Housing Quality Standard
• Inspecting Your Building
• Organising Property Repairs
• Organising Common Property Repairs
• Missing Shares
• The Private Rented.

Other forms of advice may include:

• Giving basic information on title deed conditions and where to seek further legal assistance.
• Offering owners advice on how to obtain quotations from contractors, via Care and Repair (where owners meet eligibility criteria).
• Referral to other external organisations that can offer specific advice, for example:
  
  • Home Energy Scotland for energy advice
  • Citizens Advice Bureau for benefits advice
  • Landlord Accreditation Scotland – for members or those looking to become members
  • Shelter Scotland
  • The Housing and Property Chamber – First Tier Tribunal
  • Professional bodies such as Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH).

Useful information and advice can be found at the following websites:

• Visit the Under One Roof website
• Visit the Shelter Scotland website 

It is important that you understand your obligations and rights in relation to the common parts of your building. Owners can order a copy of your title deeds at:

• The Registers of Scotland website

For assistance in the interpretation of deeds it is recommended that you seek independent legal advice.

Practical Assistance

Practical assistance involves the Council or partner organisations overseeing or carrying out some or all of the works process for the owner. This goes beyond the provision of information and advice, which normally aims to give the owner the capacity to manage the process themselves.

The Council’s main focus for practical assistance is on improvements being made to mixed tenure blocks, where the Council has an obligation to achieve the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS). A programme of improvements to these blocks will continue throughout the lifetime of the Scheme of Assistance. In those circumstances, then the Council is likely to facilitate improvements through the scoping, tendering and management of capital works – such as roofs or external wall finishes with owners also supported through advice, financial assistance – and in some instances through enforcement action.

Financial Assistance

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 firmly places responsibility for improvement and repair of houses with landlords and owner occupiers; the powers in the Act reflect this principle. This applies to both owner occupiers and to landlords. The Act removes the dependency on Council grants to secure improvements and repairs while acknowledging that assistance, other than grants, will continue to be necessary.

In accordance with the principle of the Act, no mandatory grants for the repair and improvement of common parts to houses are available through the Scheme of Assistance. However discretionary grant may be available for specific works subject to funding being available.

East Dunbartonshire Council do not provide loans, but may offer advice on how residents can access finance.

Residents may also wish to obtain the services of an Independent Financial Advisor for financial advice.

Grant Funding for Common Parts

The Council has ranked such discretionary grant eligibility in line with Council priorities, which comprise:

1. Houses which fail to meet the Tolerable Standard
2. Houses that have fallen into a state of Serious Disrepair
3. Houses requiring a Fabric First Improvement to make a significant difference to Energy Efficiency.

Assistance to Meet Tolerable Standard

An assessment by a suitably qualified Council Officer is required to assess the condition of a property and to make a judgement on its Standard.

Subject to availability, for works in excess of £5,000 a grant is available for the approved cost of work required to remedy significant breaches of the Tolerable Standard:

• Owners – 25% of the share of costs – Maximum of £10,000 of grant available per property
• Private Landlords – 10% of the share of costs - Maximum of £7,500 of grant available per property.

The Council will not provide financial assistance if:

• The property is not the applicant’s only or principal home (except private landlords leasing the property)
• The applicant has not lived in the house for at least two years (except private landlords leasing the property)
• The owner acquired the house knowing its condition with a view to developing it
• The owner removed standard amenities themselves.

Assistance to Resolve a Serious Disrepair

The primary focus of discretionary grant in this category is on improving the condition of roofs and external wall treatments to mixed tenure blocks, in which Council has an interest.

Subject to availability, for works in excess of £5,000 a grant is available for the approved cost of work required to remedy significant breaches of the Tolerable Standard:

• Owners – 25% of the share of costs – Maximum of £10,000 of grant available per property
• Private Landlords – 10% of the share of costs - Maximum of £7,500 of grant available per property.

The Council will not provide financial assistance if:

• The block is not in mixed ownership
• The owner is unwilling to participate in the proposed works once the need is identified, and a majority has been found to proceed
• A grant has been previously awarded for the same common part within the previous 10 years.

There are many instances where smaller scale reactive repairs are required to a mixed tenure block (generally under £20,000). In those circumstances – particularly where the repairs are required urgently to reduce the risk to person or property -it may be appropriate for the Council to take a lead role in instructing these repairs. Owners would be advised of this intention and charged according to the responsibilities set out in Title Deeds.

Fabric First Improvements

In some circumstances it may be possible to make improvements to the energy efficiency of a building while improving its overall condition. For instance by introducing External Wall Insulation to a property instead of Render where the existing fabric falls into the Serious Disrepair category, or where the reroofing of property introduces an opportunity to also add Photovoltaic panels to a common roof plan. Where it is possible to enhance repairs to also meet energy efficiency requirements, it may be possible to access grant assistance.

This category prioritises repair-led measures, insulation and draft proofing to Privately Owned properties that fall below EPC Band D.

Subject to availability, for works in excess of £5,000 a grant is available for the approved cost of work:

• Owners – 25% of the share of costs – Maximum of £10,000 of grant available per property
• Private Landlords – 10% of the share of costs - Maximum of £7,500 of grant available per property.

Scotland-wide schemes of support

It is important to note that Home Energy Scotland is the primary organisation through which grant subsidy can be accessed for home owners and if improvements to the building fabric or the introduction of renewables (such as PV), or heating systems (such as heat-pumps) are under consideration then contact should be made to them in the first instance for advice.

New forms of subsidy, including interest free loans and grants are emerging to meet Climate Change and Fuel Poverty objectives and the availability can change on a regular basis. Information on Scottish Government led schemes on the Government website.

One of the key schemes is the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Schemes (EES:ABS) - The Scottish Government provides annual funding for local authorities to help develop and deliver energy efficiency improvement programmes (currently aimed at solid wall insulation for non-traditional properties) in parts of their area with higher levels of fuel poverty.

East Dunbartonshire Council designs the programme with local delivery partners. Fuel-poor areas across the locality are targeted to help provide energy efficiency measures to homes while reducing carbon emissions and helping to reduce fuel poverty. To-date the focus has principally been on External Wall Insulation for non-traditional built, mixed-tenure blocks. However it is expected that this programme will be expanded to include other forms of support over the lifetime of this Scheme of Assistance.

Other Powers available to the Council

The main emphasis of the Council’s Scheme of Assistance is to enable homeowners to maintain their own properties. This will be done primarily by providing them with the type of information that they need to carry out work. In the case of tenement properties, other pieces of legislation such as the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 already exist that provide assistance to homeowners to carry out essential common repairs to their building. Armed with this information many owners will be more able to persuade their co-owners into action, rather than relying on the Council to take action on their behalf.

The enforcement powers available to the Council are intended for use where the power of persuasion, either by joint owners, or by the Council, has failed to have the desired effect. If an owner continuously refuses to carry out essential work, the Council may take action that forces that owner to carry out the works requested. This enforcement may take the form of statutory notice such as a Maintenance Order or a Work Notice, or through the implementation of a Missing Share.

Missing Shares

Section 50 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 allows the majority of owners to request that The Council pay the missing shares for maintenance work to properties within shared communal areas. The Council has adopted a Missing Shares Policy which should be referenced directly for information on the operation of Missing Shares.

Housing Renewals Areas (HRA)

A Housing Renewal Area is able to be declared by a Local Authority if a significant number of houses in an area are considered substandard (S1 of Housing (Scotland) Act 2006) There are no Housing Renewal Areas in East Dunbartonshire. Any future plans to designate a Housing Renewal Area would be set out in the Local Housing Strategy and would be subject to further, separate public consultation.

Works Notices

A Work Notice, under Section 30 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, may be issued where a property is in a state of serious disrepair or fails to meet the Tolerable Standard. In these instances, the Council may provide financial assistance subject to the availability of funding. For other work categories, the Council will continue to offer information and advice to the owner to help them carry out the necessary work. The Work Notice also brings enforcement powers whereby the Council can instruct the works to be carried out when the owner, or owners, fail to comply with the requirements of the Work Notice.

Maintenance Orders

A Maintenance Order, under Section 42 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 allows the Council to require the owner/s of a property to prepare a Maintenance Plan that details works to be carried out to their property including appropriate timescales and costs.

Where the owner/s fail to prepare a Maintenance Plan the local authority can prepare a plan on their behalf and require the owners to implement it. Where an owner or owners fail to implement the plan, the Council can instigate the plan.

The Council may then reclaim all expenses incurred in carrying out this work, possibly by means of a repayment charge which is secured against the property. A repayment charge will incur interest payments over the duration of the debt and all administration costs will be recharged.

Where the Council has taken Enforcement Action against the owner/s of a property for priority works, the owner/s may be offered financial assistance to carry out the works as if they had instigated the contact themselves. However, where the owner/s fails to seek assistance prior to the Council instructing the works on behalf of any owner/s who fails to co-operate with an order, then no offer of financial assistance will be provided – unless in exceptional circumstances.

Information and Advice

The scope of the advice may cover (but is not limited to):

• Damp and Condensation
• Lead Pipes and Asbestos in Your Home
• Empty Homes
• Home Energy Assistance and the Scottish Housing Quality Standard
• Inspecting Your Building
• Organising Property Repairs
• Organising Common Property Repairs
• Missing Shares
• The Private Rented.

Other forms of advice may include:

• Giving basic information on title deed conditions and where to seek further legal assistance
• Offering owners advice on how to obtain quotations from contractors, via Care and Repair (where owners meet eligibility criteria)
• Referral to other external organisations that can offer specific advice, for example:
  • Home Energy Scotland for energy advice
  • Citizens Advice Bureau for benefits advice
  • Landlord Accreditation Scotland – for members or those looking to become members
  • Shelter Scotland
  • The Housing and Property Chamber – First Tier Tribunal
  • Professional bodies such as Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA), Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS), Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH).

Useful information and advice can be found at the following websites:

• Visit the Under One Roof website 
• Visit the Shelter Scotland website

It is important that you understand your obligations and rights in relation to the common parts of your building. Owners can order a copy of your title deeds on The Registers of Scotland website.

For assistance in the interpretation of deeds it is recommended that you seek independent legal advice.

Practical Assistance

Practical assistance involves the Council or partner organisations overseeing or carrying out some or all of the works process for the owner. This goes beyond the provision of information and advice, which normally aims to give the owner the capacity to manage the process themselves.

The Council’s main focus for practical assistance is on improvements being made to mixed tenure blocks, where the Council has an obligation to achieve the Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS). A programme of improvements to these blocks will continue throughout the lifetime of the Scheme of Assistance. In those circumstances, then the Council is likely to facilitate improvements through the scoping, tendering and management of capital works – such as roofs or external wall finishes with owners also supported through advice, financial assistance – and in some instances through enforcement action.

Financial Assistance

The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 firmly places responsibility for improvement and repair of houses with landlords and owner occupiers; the powers in the Act reflect this principle. This applies to both owner occupiers and to landlords. The Act removes the dependency on Council grants to secure improvements and repairs while acknowledging that assistance, other than grants, will continue to be necessary.

In accordance with the principle of the Act, no mandatory grants for the repair and improvement of common parts to houses are available through the Scheme of Assistance. However discretionary grant may be available for specific works subject to funding being available.

East Dunbartonshire Council do not provide loans, but may offer advice on how residents can access finance.

Residents may also wish to obtain the services of an Independent Financial Advisor for financial advice.

Grant Funding for Common Parts

The Council has ranked such discretionary grant eligibility in line with Council priorities, which comprise:

1. Houses which fail to meet the Tolerable Standard.
2. Houses that have fallen into a state of Serious Disrepair
3. Houses requiring a Fabric First Improvement to make a significant difference to Energy Efficiency.

Assistance to Meet Tolerable Standard

An assessment by a suitably qualified Council Officer is required to assess the condition of a property and to make a judgement on its Standard.

Subject to availability, for works in excess of £5,000 a grant is available for the approved cost of work required to remedy significant breaches of the Tolerable Standard:

• Owners – 40% of the share of costs – Maximum of £10,000 of grant available per property
• Private Landlords – 25% of the share of costs - Maximum of £7,500 of grant available per property.

The Council will not provide financial assistance if:

• The property is not the applicant’s only or principal home (except private landlords leasing the property)
• The applicant has not lived in the house for at least two years (except private landlords leasing the property)
• The owner acquired the house knowing its condition with a view to developing it
• The owner removed standard amenities themselves.

Assistance to Resolve a Serious Disrepair

The primary focus of discretionary grant in this category is on improving the condition of roofs and external wall treatments to mixed tenure blocks, in which Council has an interest.

Subject to availability, for works in excess of £5,000 a grant is available for the approved cost of work required to remedy significant breaches of the Tolerable Standard:

• Owners – 40% of the share of costs – Maximum of £10,000 of grant available per property
• Private Landlords – 25% of the share of costs - Maximum of £7,500 of grant available per property.

The Council will not provide financial assistance if:

• The block is not in mixed ownership
• The owner is unwilling to participate in the proposed works once the need is identified, and a majority has been found to proceed
• A grant has been previously awarded for the same common part within the previous 10 years.

There are many instances where smaller scale reactive repairs are required to a mixed tenure block (generally under £20,000). In those circumstances – particularly where the repairs are required urgently to reduce the risk to person or property -it may be appropriate for the Council to take a lead role in instructing these repairs. Owners would be advised of this intention and charged according to the responsibilities set out in Title Deeds.

Fabric First Improvements

In some circumstances it may be possible to make improvements to the energy efficiency of a building while improving its overall condition. For instance by introducing External Wall Insulation to a property instead of Render where the existing fabric falls into the Serious Disrepair category, or where the reroofing of property introduces an opportunity to also add Photovoltaic panels to a common roof plan. Where it is possible to enhance repairs to also meet energy efficiency requirements, it may be possible to access grant assistance.

This category prioritises repair-led measures, insulation and draft proofing to Privately Owned properties that fall below EPC Band D.

Subject to availability, for works in excess of £5,000 a grant is available for the approved cost of work:

• Owners – 40% of the share of costs – Maximum of £10,000 of grant available per property
• Private Landlords – 25% of the share of costs - Maximum of £7,500 of grant available per property.

Scotland-wide schemes of support

It is important to note that Home Energy Scotland is the primary organisation through which grant subsidy can be accessed for home owners and if improvements to the building fabric or the introduction of renewables (such as PV), or heating systems (such as heat-pumps) are under consideration then contact should be made to them in the first instance for advice and .

New forms of subsidy, including interest free loans and grants are emerging to meet Climate Change and Fuel Poverty objectives and the availability can change on a regular basis. Information on Scottish Government led schemes on the Government website.

One of the key schemes is the Energy Efficient Scotland: Area Based Schemes (EES:ABS) - The Scottish Government provides annual funding for local authorities to help develop and deliver energy efficiency improvement programmes (currently aimed at solid wall insulation for non-traditional properties) in parts of their area with higher levels of fuel poverty.

East Dunbartonshire Council designs the programme with local delivery partners. Fuel-poor areas across the locality are targeted to help provide energy efficiency measures to homes while reducing carbon emissions and helping to reduce fuel poverty. To-date the focus has principally been on External Wall Insulation for non-traditional built, mixed-tenure blocks. However it is expected that this programme will be expanded to include other forms of support over the lifetime of this Scheme of Assistance.

Other Powers available to the Council

The main emphasis of the Council’s Scheme of Assistance is to enable homeowners to maintain their own properties. This will be done primarily by providing them with the type of information that they need to carry out work. In the case of tenement properties, other pieces of legislation such as the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 already exist that provide assistance to homeowners to carry out essential common repairs to their building. Armed with this information many owners will be more able to persuade their co-owners into action, rather than relying on the Council to take action on their behalf.

The enforcement powers available to the Council are intended for use where the power of persuasion, either by joint owners, or by the Council, has failed to have the desired effect. If an owner continuously refuses to carry out essential work, the Council may take action that forces that owner to carry out the works requested. This enforcement may take the form of statutory notice such as a Maintenance Order or a Work Notice, or through the implementation of a Missing Share.

Missing Shares

Section 50 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 allows the majority of owners to request that The Council pay the missing shares for maintenance work to properties within shared communal areas. The Council has adopted a Missing Shares Policy which should be referenced directly for information on the operation of Missing Shares.

Housing Renewals Areas (HRA)

A Housing Renewal Area is able to be declared by a Local Authority if a significant number of houses in an area are considered substandard (S1 of Housing (Scotland) Act 2006) There are no Housing Renewal Areas in East Dunbartonshire. Any future plans to designate a Housing Renewal Area would be set out in the Local Housing Strategy and would be subject to further, separate public consultation.

Works Notices

A Work Notice, under Section 30 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, may be issued where a property is in a state of serious disrepair or fails to meet the Tolerable Standard. In these instances, the Council may provide financial assistance subject to the availability of funding. For other work categories, the Council will continue to offer information and advice to the owner to help them carry out the necessary work. The Work Notice also brings enforcement powers whereby the Council can instruct the works to be carried out when the owner, or owners, fail to comply with the requirements of the Work Notice.

Maintenance Orders

A Maintenance Order, under Section 42 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 allows the Council to require the owner/s of a property to prepare a Maintenance Plan that details works to be carried out to their property including appropriate timescales and costs.

Where the owner/s fail to prepare a Maintenance Plan the local authority can prepare a plan on their behalf and require the owners to implement it. Where an owner or owners fail to implement the plan, the Council can instigate the plan.

The Council may then reclaim all expenses incurred in carrying out this work, possibly by means of a repayment charge which is secured against the property. A repayment charge will incur interest payments over the duration of the debt and all administration costs will be recharged.

Where the Council has taken Enforcement Action against the owner/s of a property for priority works, the owner/s may be offered financial assistance to carry out the works as if they had instigated the contact themselves. However, where the owner/s fails to seek assistance prior to the Council instructing the works on behalf of any owner/s who fails to co-operate with an order, then no offer of financial assistance will be provided – unless in exceptional circumstances.

Information and Advice

Contact should be made to the Council’s Care and Repair service in the first instance if the enquiry relates to Home Adaptation for the purposes of meeting a disability.

The Care and Repair service works closely with the Occupational Therapy service and you may be referred onwards for an assessment in the first instance.

Advice provided may include advice on what types of adaptations are available and possible within your property and how to obtain quotations from contractors – usually via Care and Repair.

A visit will be required by the Occupational Therapy Team in order to assess the property. The Occupational Therapy Team may suggest alternative ways of managing everyday tasks and activities or may provide specialist equipment to assist and increase independence. If an adaptation to the home is the agreed solution, the Occupational Therapy service will confirm the need and proposed works to the Care and Repair Service.

Practical Assistance

Practical assistance will be available to particular groups of owners; specifically older and disabled people. Assistance may be provided via Care and Repair, if the owner is:

• aged 65 years or
• over or 60 years with a disability.

Additionally, the Private Sector Housing Team may provide practical assistance where this is appropriate.

Note that practical assistance via care and repair is to facilitate and support work and does not extend to Project Managing more significant conversions or extensions to a property. It is expected in those circumstances that the applicant seek the assistance of a professional, such as an Architect to provide that service. Discretionary funding may be available to support such professional services.

Financial Assistance

The aim of financial assistance is to assist homeowners or private tenants to remain independent and living within their own homes and within the community in which they are familiar.

The Council will provide grant funding for essential structural adaptations required by a disabled person, for example standard amenities suitable to meet their particular needs: A house has all the standard amenities if it has a fixed bath or shower, a hot and cold water supply at a fixed bath or shower, a wash-hand basin, a hot and cold water supply at a wash-hand basin, a sink, a hot and cold water supply at a sink, a water closet (WC).

Under this category, grant will not be provided for the building element of the work where the original structure of the property is being extended to create additional bedroom or living accommodation. It will be restricted to just the element of the work which relates to the introduction of standard amenities such as a wet floor shower. In those circumstances a detailed bill of quantities or quotation must be provided, prior to the instruction of works, which breaks down the work into these categories.

Grant funding will extend to tenants within the private rented market, subject to Landlords’ consent for the works to be undertaken.

Subject to support by the Council’s Occupational Therapy Services, in these circumstances, the Council will:

• Provide 80% grant funding to provide or carry out essential structural adaptations at an existing property to suit the needs of a disabled occupant.
• Provide Grant funding of 100% for applicants who are in receipt of certain elements of Universal Credit (Income Support, Pension Credit (guaranteed credit), Income based Job Seekers Allowance and Employment Support Allowance).
• Give consideration to exceptional, individual circumstances where a disabled occupant is not in receipt of a qualifying benefit but is unable to contribute to the costs of the adaptation.

If adaptations are provided as a solution to meet the needs of disabled people following the assessment it is not anticipated that any grant would be repeated within a 5 year period unless there is a significant change in health or disability.

Where essential adaptation work is not covered by grant, the Council will provide owners with advice on funding the work. In limited circumstances the customer may be eligible for financial assistance based on the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 (as amended).

Further Financial assistance may be provided by:

• Independent financial organisations for assistance with extensions that provide living accommodation, such as bedrooms, required to suit the needs of a disabled occupant.
• The Care and Repair service which will provide practical assistance to find additional funding (if available) from suitable charitable sources for works beyond the grant aided works.
• The Citizens Advice Bureau may be able to offer advice to home owners on how to obtain funding for repair and maintenance work.

Adaptations within Common Areas

In some circumstances it may be necessary for an adaptation to be introduced to a common area of a property; for instance, to install a stairlift or grab-rails within a common close or stairwell. The Relevant Adjustments to Common Parts (Disabled Persons) (Scotland) Regulations 2020, was introduced in order to enable disabled owners within mixed ownership blocks to facilitate these changes. Grant funding may be possible under this Scheme of Assistance for owners, under the same terms as for adaptions within a private home, subject to the condition that agreement is reached with the other owners within the block. Normally, this is possible with majority agreement, but a set process must be followed as is set out in the guidance provided on the Scottish Government Website.

Re-Instatement

If a property requires to be reinstated, for example if the disabled occupant moves out of the property but family members remain, the Council will provide assistance on how this may be achieved, as well as grant funding to facilitate the work.

In the case of private rented properties, where a landlord has agreed to an adaptation for a tenant but that tenant leaves the property, the landlord should try to ensure any new tenant will benefit from the adapted property.

If this cannot be achieved, the Council will offer assistance to re-instate, including grant funding, practical advice and support.

The table below provides details of the type of assistance which may be provided under East Dunbartonshire Council’s Scheme of Assistance. It also provides further detail on terminology used throughout the document.

Enquiries about aspects of the Scheme of Assistance can be made to the following services

Housing Investment Team
Assets and Facilities
Broomhill
Kirkintilloch
G66 1TF
Email: privatesector@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Environmental Health
Community Protection
45 Southbank Drive
Kirkintilloch
G66 1XR
Tel: 0300 1234510
Email: environmental.health@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Repair and Improvement Grants
Southbank House
Southbank Business Park
Kirkintilloch
G66 1XQ
Tel: 0300 1234510
Email: buildingstandards@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Occupational Therapy Team
Social Work
Kirkintilloch Health and Care Centre
10 Saramago Street
Kirkintilloch,
G66 3BF
Tel: 0141 355 2200
Email: socialwork@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

The Private Rented Sector and Landlord Registration
William Patrick Library
2-4 West High Street,
Kirkintilloch,
G66 1AD
Tel: 0300 1234 510
Email: landlordregistration@eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Tel: 0808 808 2282

Visit the Home Energy Scotland Website

Home Energy Scotland helps people in Scotland create warmer homes, reduce their energy bills, and lower their carbon footprint. They are funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Energy Saving Trust.

They work with people and organisations to help tackle fuel poverty and climate change – both key priorities for The Scottish Government.

HOPETOUN GATE, 8B MCDONALD ROAD EDINBURGH EH7 4LZ

Tel: 0131 553 2211

Visit the Landlord Accreditation Scotland (LAS) Website

A voluntary scheme by which private landlords and letting agents can assure tenants that the tenancy arrangements they have adhere to the high standards outlined in the Scottish Core Standards for Accredited Landlords.

Becoming an accredited landlord or letting agent with LAS is a way of demonstrating to landlords and tenants that management practices are above the minimum legal requirements.

11 Alexandra Street
Kirkintilloch
Glasgow
G66 1HB

Tel: 0141 775 3220
Fax: 0141 775 3221

Email the Citizens Advice Bureau

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is a national umbrella body that provides essential services to Scottish Citizens Advice Bureau

The aims of the Scottish CAB Service are:

• To ensure that individuals do not suffer through lack of knowledge of their rights and responsibilities, or of the services available to them, or through an inability to express their need effectively

and, equally

• To exercise a responsible influence on the development of social policies and services, both locally and nationally.

Landlords can apply for registration online

Further information and assistance can also be obtained from:

East Dunbartonshire Council
William Patrick Library
2-4 West High Street
Kirkintilloch
G66 1AD

Tel: 0300 1234 510

Email Landlord Registration

All private landlords letting properties in Scotland must have applied for registration in the register of landlords.

The aim of landlord registration is to ensure that all private landlords in Scotland are fit and proper to be letting residential property.

East Dunbartonshire Health and Social Care Partnership
Kirkintilloch Health & Care Centre
10 Saramago Street
Kirkintilloch
G66 3BF

Tel: 0300 1234510

Email Customer Services

The service provides free and practical advice and assistance for East Dunbartonshire residents aged 65 and over, or 60 and over with a disability or long term illness. This support extends all the way from completing minor repairs, through to assistance if you need an adaptation to your home.

Housing Options Scotland
The Melting Pot
5 Rose Street
Edinburgh
EH2 2PR

Tel: 0131 510 1567

Visit the Housing Options Scotland Website

There is no charge for labour or travel costs and you only pay for the cost of materials if supplied by the service.

Housing Options Scotland help disabled people, older adults and members of the Armed Forces community to find the right home in the right place.

They have 25 years supporting people, across all 32 local authorities of Scotland.

Whether you’re looking to rent, buy or adapt a home, staff will provide practical support, information, and advice. The service is free and tailored to your individual circumstances.

Vantage Point
24 St John's Road Edinburgh
EH12 6NZ

Tel: 0131 313 5510
Textphone: 0131 346 2529

Visit the Capability Scotland Website.

Advisors to the Scottish Government on the new system of help with adaptations, and can offer specialist advice to disabled people on adaptations and other housing options.