Maintenance
The Repairing Standard Annex B, sets statutory guidance that private landlords in Scotland are required to comply with from 1st March 2024 regarding if a property is wind and water tight and in all other respects reasonably fit for human habitation.
According to the Standard, a property could be expressed as “weathertight”, meaning it is free from draughts and leaks under the current climatic conditions of the area where it was built.
Private landlords must be satisfied that any property they rent to tenants is fit for the tenants to live in. They should be confident that the essential fabric elements of the property (i.e. those parts of the physical structure which ensure the building’s stability and resistance to the ordinary encroachments of weather) are in good repair.
If essential fabric elements are not in good repair, then it is likely that the inside of the property will, in time, be adversely affected. The most common problems arise with rising or penetrating dampness in the property. Private landlords must ensure that the properties they rent to tenants are substantially free from rising and penetrating damp, which is also required by the Tolerable Standard.
A problem with penetrating damp indicates that a property may not be weathertight. Private landlords must consider the following issues when assessing if the essential fabric elements of a property are in good repair:
Private landlords should be aware that dampness has historically been a significant housing problem in Scotland. It is, however, unacceptable for people to be living in homes with levels of rising or penetrating dampness that materially affect their health and comfort or cause further physical damage to the property.
Private landlords should be looking for visible persistent or recurring damp impact in one or more areas, which could be harmful to occupiers, damage furniture or belongings, or be a sign of damage to the building fabric. Further details on the indicators and causes of damp can be found on the Government’s website.
FireAngel’s FA3322 Digital Carbon Monoxide Alarm not only keeps tenants safe from ‘the silent killer’, but provides environmental monitoring of internal property conditions.
The alarm’s digital screen displays temperature and humidity reading in standby mode, and highlights dangerous conditions to encourage intervention. The multi‑functional LCD display changes colour to indicate various warnings and instructions to homeowners for clear safety advice.
Data diagnostics can be downloaded from the alarm via a cable, to keep track of rising humidity levels in a property and to pre-empt any potential problems regarding damp, mould or condensation.
Find out more about the FA3322 alarm and ensure you’re properties are ready and compliant with the Repairing Standard.
