Communal maintenance responsibility explained

Communal areas or common parts are the shared parts of the building/development outwith the boundary of your home. These areas, which are owned jointly by homeowners, may include the following:

• Stairs and stairwells
• Corridors
• Lifts
• Garden/grassed areas
• Roofs, gutters, and downpipes
• External walls
• Boundary Fence
• Car Park
• Joint liability

Where there are common areas, homeowners, who are the duty holders, will be jointly liable for the upkeep and maintenance of those areas.

The specific responsibilities and share of costs for each homeowner is set out within your Deed of Conditions and your solicitor is responsible for highlighting these responsibilities to you prior to the purchase of a property.

For a newbuild development, the Developer will in most instances carry out a tender exercise to appoint a Factor of their choice to manage the common areas of the development, on behalf of all homeowners.

The specification of works, prepared by the Developer, will detail the scope of service which they expect to be provided by the Factor, on behalf of all homeowners. This information allows James Gibb to seek quotations from our approved contractors.

James Gibb will submit a Tender to manage the development, which includes providing the Developer with an estimated budget, based on their service requirements.

Further information

You can access further information at www.underoneroof.scot which provides impartial information on your obligations as a homeowner, as well as other aspects of communal living.

At James Gibb we actively promote the provision of high standards of service delivery and operational best practice, whilst ensuring homeowners and residents are always treated with the utmost respect.

James Gibb doing it the right way