Preparing a flat in a shared building for sale

Start with the close

A swept, lit stair with no bicycles, prams or bags on the landings changes the first impression more than anything you can do inside the flat. Where the stair is factored, ask for a clean before photography; where it is self-factored, agree it with the neighbours.

Replace failed stair bulbs, check the entry system works from every flat and confirm the stair door closes properly.

The back green and bin store

Overgrown drying greens and overflowing bin stores are a recurring comment from buyers viewing Edinburgh flats. Both are usually shared, so this is a conversation with neighbours or the factor rather than a job you do alone.

If the flat has an allocated drying line, a cellar or a bin store space, know exactly which one it is — buyers ask, and the deeds should confirm it.

Inside: what is worth doing

Deal with the things a surveyor will record: visible damp staining, a dripping overflow, a cracked pane, a missing smoke or heat alarm. Scotland's interlinked alarm standard applies to all homes, and a missing alarm is an easy comment to avoid.

Cosmetic work rarely repays itself pound for pound. Clean, decluttered and well lit does more for a tenement flat than a new kitchen fitted three weeks before marketing.

Get the paperwork together

Title deeds, factor statement, common repair records, guarantees for windows, boiler and any damp or timber work, building warrant and completion certificates for alterations, and the alarm installation evidence.

Handing this to your solicitor before the Home Report is instructed shortens the sale, because most delays in Scottish tenement sales are documentary rather than physical.

Before you market: checklist

1. 1. Arrange a stair clean and clear the landings before photography
2. 2. Fix stair lighting and test the door entry system
3. 3. Tidy the back green, drying area and bin store with the other owners
4. 4. Fit or test interlinked smoke, heat and CO alarms
5. 5. Deal with visible damp staining, leaks and cracked glazing
6. 6. Collect deeds, factor statement, guarantees and warrant paperwork

Common questions

Do I need to clean the common stair before selling my flat?

There is no legal requirement, but the close is the first thing a buyer sees. Where a factor arranges stair cleaning you can ask for a visit before photography; in a self-factored stair it is a matter of agreement with the other owners.

Does a shared back green need to be tidy for viewings?

It helps considerably. A drying green is usually common property, so maintenance is shared, and neighbours are generally willing when they know a sale is coming.

What alarms must a Scottish flat have before it is sold?

Scotland's standard requires interlinked smoke alarms in the main living area and hallways, a heat alarm in the kitchen, and a carbon monoxide alarm where there is a fuel-burning appliance. It applies to all homes, not only those being sold.

Is it worth renovating a tenement flat before selling?

Full renovation shortly before marketing rarely returns its cost. Repairing defects a surveyor would record, and presenting the flat clean, decluttered and well lit, tends to produce a better result for far less outlay.

What paperwork should a flat owner gather before instructing a Home Report?

Title deeds, the factor's account statement, records of common repairs, guarantees for windows, boiler, damp or timber work, and building warrant and completion certificates for any alteration. Missing warrant paperwork is a common cause of delay.