Essentially, I have to use my own circumstances as the example of an issue that affects many council tenants in especially mixed occupancy blocks and tenements within the capture area.

I live in a first floor tenement flat with a privately let flat above me. I moved in July 2024. Within a month, the tenants above had flooded my bathroom. The same thing happened 6 months later. They flooded my kitchen during August '25 and in the last 2 months there has been an intermittent leakage again in the bathroom.

Also when I moved in, the back yard, entry doors and communal areas were all in dire need of maintainence. I reported several issues, including a boarded up landing window which meant the stairwell was in total darkness for several hours each day.

I was informed that, as the top 2 flats were private landlord-owned, all that could be done was to contact them by letter and if they didn't reply then no remedial work could be carried out as the landlords were each liable for ⅙ of the costs. The flooding was "repaired" not by a landlord but by the tenant and not very well at that.

It took an incident with a crack addict on the stairs and the argument that the doors and window constituted a serious health hazard and a potential fire hazard (physical attack and the upper floor occupants being trapped by fire) for these issues to be partially resolved. The unmaintained back yard and fly tipping became an article in the papers before anything was done - in the spring of this year we had a SERIOUS infestation of vermin (which the housing officer tried to dismiss as non-existent) and some illegal multiple occupancy residents dumping their filthy furniture ( 5 beds, freezer, mattresses, etc).

My proposal is a way to hopefully identify those properties which are being structurally damaged by the inaction of landlords other than the Council.

A survey team to be created (with a company unaffiliated to existing contacts) to visit any properties that have a record of ongoing repair requests/unresolved complaints. The private landlords issued with a notice that said team will require access to the properties they own and, should they not reply, they be issued with a compulsory entry. 

Checks to be carried out on the ongoing issues (in my case, for example, it would be plumbing and structural woodwork like floorboards and joists) any checks that could be made externally performed first.

Any issues found then are put forward for compulsory repair within a specified period and the contractors used or employed by the council be used and the landlord given a competitive rate for the repairs.

Any communal repairs to be completed and a compulsory bill be issued to the landlord with legal action threatened if not paid.

I have no formal knowledge of the law viewpoint but my main objective here is to identify shoddy or non-existent repairs that are causing further, more serious repairs which may entail a building being vacated. Another issue in my block is a damaged water main,  leaking for over a year, checked by the water company and ascertained to be within the building and therefore the Council's responsibility, despite being reported twice, has been ignored - the potential of wet rot in the timber components, erosion to foundations and damage in the roof space being very real.

It should also minimise the never ending circle of report-review-appointment-report-non-action-report-review, etc. 

The first year budget could be spent on the establishment of the survey team, the notifications and follow-up administration and the start of the investigations with the second and third year being the actual repairwork, budgeted to whichever repair team required.

The involvement of the landlords and the competitive costings by the council should be self sustaining or run at a slight loss to be offset going forward with a reduction of upkeep damage being caused by problems outwith the Councild remit.

If the option of a fine system for non-compliance was possible, it could offset any overall loss plus landlords having property insurance (supposedly mandatory but....) to fall back on to make the overall budget pot more financially stable.

A second,much simpler, proposal is to insulate and sound-proof any properties that have had asbestos removed and not replaced and any outdated insulation (the tenements on Ferguson Street, for example, have in some instances where the original 30's straw bundles is still in evidence, which in itself is surely a fire hazard? Which could invalidate both council/landlords insurance and tenants private insurance?

I thank you for taking time to read this and, should you wish to contact me for any further information or input, please don't hesitate to contact me on the information below.

raised wooden boxes, that way disabled people can get involved as well, people can plant what they want and the growers can share with each other or donate excess vegetables to a local food bank, initially the council could supply a range of vegetable plants or given a voucher to go and buy what they like to eat, money is tight these days and alot of families cant afford to buy healthy food so this idea is a win, win situation it doesn't just benefit one person but an entire neighbourhood 

all you would need is for a locally owned business to build the wooden boxes and then fill with potting mix, I would probably build a fence around it, in the hope of stopping anti social behaviour from bored local kids, getting them and entire families involved might curb anti social behaviour plus kids might be more open to eating the vegetables that they have been involved in growing 

an allotment would benefit everybody, where a new play park only benefits those with children, 

The allotmeals would benefit the elderly and disabled, it will get them out of their homes, reducing loneliness and prevent isolation, make friends and have someone to talk to.

maybe a wee hut where the garden tools can be stored, and a tap, just incase we have another warm dry summer, nobody is going to want to carry heavy buckets from their homes

I guess im describing something similar to the allotmeals opposite the royal mail sorting office next to the rubbish tip. Or the allotments next to pollok park 

you could paint the wooden boxes in bright colours to attracts the young kids these kids could even build a wee fairy garden in the allotment grounds, which will make them feel part of something  kids 

There is a good sized area that is currently not being used, or will ever be used, its the plot of land in between 122 brediland Road and Ettrick oval, but there's plenty of other spots that can be used

Maybe a bench seat or 2 might be useful so the elderly and disabled can sit down when needed, it will also help people connect by sitting having a chat. You could also supply a few bags of seeds, not just veg seeds, but wild flowers as well 

McGill's moved their bus route and now people have to walk a longer route to get to the bus stop at the Community Centre. There are grass banks in the middle of the road, which people have to cross over to get there. It would help if there was an access path to let people cross over without having to walk on the grass.

I would like said system to be fitted to my house i dont mind paying for it but I cant get a quote due to it being a rented home if you guys fit it i can pay a monthly payment till its paid of because I can get help from the government