Advice on building repairs and squatters

TriggerCut92

Hi,

I have a flat in the Southside of Glasgow.

The main door entrance to the building has a Yale lock entrance which is broken which has led to squatters on an unoccupied flat on the bottom floor.

The thing is there is not factor that maintains the property. I tried calling the council but they say the building is owned by all the owners and they would in theory only deal with major repairs. The women I spoke to said it would be best to speak to all the other landlords to agree to put a new lock in, but it may be hard to get a hold of them.

There are 8 flats in the building and my tenant seems to think only one other is occupied which is quite strange, but I'm not sure I believe him.

Just looking to find out my options are in this situation regarding the lock and the squatters? How would I go about getting the squatters/homeless to leave? I would put a new lock on the door myself to save hassle but what's to stop them just kicking the door in to sleep somewhere.

Thanks for any help

davidmcn

Legally, getting rid of the squatters is up to whoever owns the flat they're in - is that landlord aware? I can't see that you have a right to do anything about it.

You can carry out common repairs if you like but for a new lock you'd be best to get agreement from the other owners.

Cakeguts

What is the law on squatting in Scotland. Having done a quick search it looks to me as if it is illegal is this correct? If it is correct that they have to leave if the owner of the flat that is being squatted tells them they have to. Find that owner and change the lock on the main door.

davidmcn

Cakeguts wrote: »

What is the law on squatting in Scotland. Having done a quick search it looks to me as if it is illegal is this correct?

Oh yes, they definitely don't have any rights to stay. It's a pretty straightforward civil action to evict them.

pinkfluffybabe

I don't think the council in Glasgow do factoring. Try calling Glasgow housing associations' factoring arm (your place property management) and ask them if they can help.

Rosemary7391

It sounds like your building needs organisation with respect to common repairs. You can find contact addresses for each landlord on the register (mandatory), so no problem in writing to them - if they're not registered, I'd assume that writing to the address of the flat in question will be sufficient, but do post it in case there is a redirection set up. Getting them to care, now that's a different problem. If the one whose flat is being squatted hasn't noticed ... However writing to them has to be the first step I think.

Edited to add: It might say something in the deeds about how common repairs ought to be organised.

davidmcn

pinkfluffybabe wrote: »

I don't think the council in Glasgow do factoring. Try calling Glasgow housing associations' factoring arm (your place property management) and ask them if they can help.

I think the OP's point was that the council are always the last resort as they can arrange for compulsory repairs - but in practice they're only going to step in if it's serious.

GHA won't be interested if it's not a block they factor.

TriggerCut92

davidmcn wrote: »

Oh yes, they definitely don't have any rights to stay. It's a pretty straightforward civil action to evict them.

How would I go about this then? The eviction I mean

I've searched on the landlord register and only two people show up and the flat in question doesn't have a registration so I'm a bit stumped.

davidmcn

TriggerCut92 wrote: »

How would I go about this then? The eviction I mean

You wouldn't. You can't evict someone from a property you don't own. It's the neighbour's problem.

Try asking the other neighbours if they have contact details for the owner, search the Land Register for details (might not be up to date contact details but will give you something to go on), ask police whether they have been involved and if the owner is aware (they probably won't pass on details though).