Scotland Stuff

thirtytoseventy

Morning

So I'm likely to be buying next year, and am giving Glasgow / Renfrewshire some serious thought. I have had many many trips to visit the area due to friends and I am totally mobile with my job.

Two thoughts that I need to grapple with that I'm hoping some locals could spare some knowledge / punditry?

1) Tenement flats. I really love these and am looking at getting one... are there any extra costs associated with these and how popular are they for renting out / selling on? Would I be stuck with something thinking that they're really cool but actually local-born people aspire to something else? Such nice solid buildings with great proportions; what's not to love, right?! I'm not planning on being a family man, so a lock up and leave is what I need.

2) Brexit / Second referendum. OK so another reason for wanting to come north of the border is that I am an ardent remainer, and am slightly horrified at everything that has happened in the last six months. Go ahead, call me a Liberal Elite (when did that start need ing caps btw?), but there it is. Scottish political sentiment is closer to my own, although I realise that it is complicated economically and Sturgeon may be a bit stuck with it all. Nonetheless, it appeals to me to be amongst the 60% living in a cheaper area than stuck as far south as it is possible to be with over-inflated property prices and all the little England lets-go-back=to-the-amazing-1950s brigade (no offence, just my observation based on many real-life conversations down here).

In this vein though - what could potentially happen to non-Scottish property owners if Scotland ever left the union?

Pixie5740

I love tenement properties in Glasgow. They are a popular style of property and are easy to sell and rent out. I've lived in several myself and I like the high ceilings, good sized rooms and period features. I also found the sound proofing much better compared with newer builds I have lived in and the factoring fees lower in new builds.

The downsides are that those high ceilings mean that tenements can be more expensive to heat the a new build. The sash and case windows are expensive to upgrade and replace. Tenement properties usually mean on-street parking.

There isn't going to be a second independence referendum. What would we do...best of 3? Like it or not (I voted Yes and Remain) Scotland will remain part of the UK and will be leaving the EU. Besides the EU wasn't all that keen on Scotland re-joining/remaining in the EU if the Yes vote had won.

Your eligibility to vote in the independence referendum was based on your residency not nationality. If Yes had won all the sassenachs living here wouldn't have been frog marched across the border.

thirtytoseventy

Hey Pixie

Thanks for the reply - that's why I love them too! I actually work overseas 8 months a year so heating costs won't be insane on an annual basis and for what I am looking at the monthly payments will be low, allowing for a bit of work here and there if needed. Parking not an issue - can't drive won't drive and it's ocado deliveries and trains for me all the way (wait, do they have Waitrose north of the border? deal breaker! :eek: )

Well I did figure that Scotland is less likely to kick the English out than they are the Eastern Europeans; although actually, I'm Welsh, so if I play the accent up will people like me more in the interests of Celtic solidarity?!

Great that you say that they are easy to rent out and sell on... are there typical preferences in terms of which floor and things people look for? I also heard that if you're top floor you have sole responsibility for the roof rather than it being a part of your factor - is there any truth in that?

Pixie5740

Ocado deliveries? You'll be lucky. Waitrose has made it to Edinburgh and Glasgow though.

Scotland isn't very likely to kick anyone out. At least we're told, "one Scotland, many cultures."

Like a lot of flats, first floor tends to be the preference although you do get ground floor flats that have their own front door and back garden (my dad grew up in one like that) and they're popular too. As for the roof you'd need to check the deeds to see who owns it. I'm currently living in a tenement (although this is in Aberdeen) and I'm on the top floor but all 3 flats own, and are responsible, for the roof.

In Scotland the vendor is responsible for supplying the Home Report, EPC and Questionnaire to prospective buyers. The Questionnaire should tell you what communal areas the vendor is currently responsible for. As your offer should go through your solicitor anyway you can ask them for advice or to find out.

thirtytoseventy

That's great info, thanks so much! I was only kidding about Ocado... kinda...

dekaspace

I rent in Scotland, from what I have been told living in Glasgow area means extreme high rates of council tax, and renfrewshire is far cheaper I know this as know some people who lived on the border areas and annoyed as a mile or two from border and pay far higher rates.

If you want to rent out however, of course Glasgow even in the poorer areas gets higher rents than places like Paisley.

davidmcn

thirtytoseventy wrote: »

1) Tenement flats. I really love these and am looking at getting one... are there any extra costs associated with these and how popular are they for renting out / selling on? Would I be stuck with something thinking that they're really cool but actually local-born people aspire to something else?

For more meaningful advice you'd be best to specific about sizes/prices/areas, as "tenement" covers a wide range of properties (e.g. this is one), and from a legal point of view it means any flats (though I'm guessing you're talking about purpose-built sandstone Victorian/Edwardian buildings).

You'll have to contribute towards communal maintenance, which could be nothing other than ad hoc repairs, or you could have cleaning, gardening, electricity bills etc, possibly a shared buildings insurance policy - and all either organised by the owners (free!) or a professional management company (factor) appointed by the owners. In general this is all a better deal than you get with flats in England/Wales, as the owners have ultimate control rather than a third party freeholder trying to make a profit out of you.

what could potentially happen to non-Scottish property owners if Scotland ever left the union?

Anything could potentially happen, but I very much doubt you're going to be rounded up into cattle trucks or suffer at all. I don't think anyone can predict exactly what the relationship would be likely to be between an independent Scotland and rUK. At the last indieref there were proposals set out in the white paper about who would qualify for a Scottish passport - but no explanation of what privileges that would actually give you. At the moment we have freedom of movement within the UK, no problem working anywhere or claiming the same benefits - obviously that would change to same extent.

thirtytoseventy wrote: »

I also heard that if you're top floor you have sole responsibility for the roof rather than it being a part of your factor - is there any truth in that?

No, it's a load of mince. The only smidgen of truth is that that used to be the default legal position unless your title deeds said otherwise - but almost invariably (particularly in the West) tenement titles give everyone an equal share of responsibility for the roof and all the other shared bits of the building.

davidmcn

dekaspace wrote: »

from what I have been told living in Glasgow area means extreme high rates of council tax, and renfrewshire is far cheaper I know this as know some people who lived on the border areas and annoyed as a mile or two from border and pay far higher rates.

No, there's not much difference in council tax (e.g. band D is £1165 in Renfrewshire versus £1213 in Glasgow).

Owain_Moneysaver

I also heard that if you're top floor you have sole responsibility for the roof rather than it being a part of your factor

I think this was the case in the past, if the deeds were silent on the matter. Tenement land law was reformed fairly recently, with the abolition of feudal tenure, and if the deeds are silent on the matter now all flats share responsibility for paying for the roof.

However, if you are on the top floor your flat is the first one to get wet regardless of who pays. On the other hand you are less likely to have upstairs' washing machine flooding through (although some buildings will have water tanks in the attic) or people walking on your ceiling.

Property factors now have to be registered too, as do landlords of rented properties, and there is separate registration for Houses of Multiple Occupation (which is three or more unrelated people in the same house, so catches most student flats).

thirtytoseventy

Thanks all re: the inside knowledge, it all definitely sounds like a better set-up than typical new build flats in Eng/Wa with their exorbitant 'services charges' which often barely equate to the bins being done...

I think I need another recipe to the area now to see whereabouts might suit me. Paisley does actually appeal with the frequent trains to Glasgow CC and proximity to the airport, but I dare say there are some areas a bit nearer in that would suit me just as well.

Cheers all!

glasgowdan

You risk living with noise if getting a tenement in Glasgow. Where will you be working?

Tenements can be very hard to sell. As with any property it depends on the specific location and condition. Who makes up the local population, whether it's govan or dowanhill.

All flats are responsible for the roof, but top floor flats have to put up with the hassle while factors try and sort issues out. Factors bills can be huge, £100/m is common.. Neds kick in front doors meaning costly repairs. Students set off smoke alarms. Gardens get used as dumping grounds and dog toilets.

Paisley...holy cow, that's even worse.

We've moved to Lenzie and it's perfect, ten min train to Glasgow, space and nice gardens, good schools. Many of Glasgow's schools are poor performers. Bishopbriggs is good if a bit busy for some. Clarkston, Eastwood etc are nice. Shawlans is busy and studenty but becoming more trendy

Parking in tenement areas is often a lottery.

Buildings often have a lot of maintenance issue.

Think carefully!