Handling tenant repair reports

The short answer

Most tenancy disputes about condition come down to record keeping. A landlord needs one clear reporting channel, an acknowledgement within a day or two, an inspection or contractor visit appropriate to the urgency, and a written outcome. Emergency items — no heating in winter, no water, a serious leak, an electrical fault — need same-day attention.

What the work involves

Giving tenants a written reporting route at the start of the tenancy, triaging each report by urgency, arranging access with proper notice, and closing the loop in writing.

Rules and responsibilities in Scotland

The Repairing Standard applies throughout the tenancy. Access requires notice except in an emergency. Unresolved reports can be taken to the First-tier Tribunal by the tenant.

What commonly goes wrong

Repair conversations spread across text, phone calls and social media with no record, and contractors arranging access directly without notice being documented.

What it usually costs

Indicative ranges only, to help you judge a quote. They are not an estimate for your property — only the business doing the work can give you that.

• A small annual repairs float per property avoids delay while a cost is agreed.
• Rapid attention to leaks is almost always cheaper than the damage caused by delay.
• Out-of-hours call-outs cost more, which is why triage matters.

What to do, in order

1. 1Give tenants one reporting route in writing at the start of the tenancy.
2. 2Acknowledge every report in writing with a date.
3. 3Triage into emergency, urgent and routine, and say which it is.
4. 4Give proper notice of access, and confirm attendance afterwards.
5. 5Keep invoices and photographs with the property file.

Local detail for the Lothians

• Tenement repairs affecting common parts take longer because other owners have to agree, so tell the tenant that early.
• Edinburgh contractor availability tightens sharply after storms, which is worth explaining rather than leaving unanswered.
• Parking restrictions in the city centre affect contractor attendance times and cost.

When you need a professional

A letting agent can run the reporting process; a solicitor is worth involving once a tribunal application is threatened.

Common questions

What counts as an emergency repair?

Loss of heating or hot water in cold weather, no water supply, a significant leak, an electrical danger, or anything making the property unsafe or insecure.

What if a repair depends on other owners in a tenement?

The landlord still has to pursue it actively and evidence that. Explain the shared-repair process to the tenant in writing.

Related pages

• Out-of-hours emergency repairs

  Setting up cover for leaks, heating failures and lockouts outside working hours.

• Meeting the Repairing Standard

  The legal condition test every private let in Scotland has to meet, and how landlords evidence it.

• The annual property inspection

  What to look at on a periodic inspection, how to record it, and how to raise issues with tenants.