I'm not sure if this is a specifically Scottish thing, but here in Glasgow most people living in tenements have a factor who basically deals with all communal issues. Eg they get the stairs cleaned, deal with roof repairs etc. They have a bit of a reputation for being licences to print money, and certainly every time I've dealt with ours, I've come away wondering what I'm paying them for. I just wondered whether anyone has had any good experiences with their factor, and indeed if this system even exists down south?
Factors - what are your experiences?
- Thread starter GlasgowGirl
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I have lived in both Scotland and England and I'm afraid that these property management companies are just as bad wherever you live. In essence, there is very little pressure that can be applied to them as the residents are rarely the people responsible for appointing them - and they normally provide a rock-bottom price to the developer (or whoever hires them).
Perhaps getting all of the tenants together to arrange a protest would be the way to bring this to the attention of the owner of the overall building.
Hope this helps...
Perhaps getting all of the tenants together to arrange a protest would be the way to bring this to the attention of the owner of the overall building.
Hope this helps...
If I'm honest, I haven't a clue who owns our actual building, or whether it's jointly owned by all the owners. I know we all seem to be liable for all repairs to any part of the building - oh, in fact now I think about it, a while ago we did get a bill from the feudal landowner. I'm hazy on the details, but the Scottish Government abolished the old, completely bizarre Scottish feu system in which people whose great-great-grandparents owned some land still got to charge people for living on it, and the feu-holders (or whatever they're called) were allowed to invoice one last time to make up for future lost income.
Hmm - I'm even more confused now. Actually our factor is not so bad that I'd be looking to replace them, I just wondered what other people's experiences had been been.
Hmm - I'm even more confused now. Actually our factor is not so bad that I'd be looking to replace them, I just wondered what other people's experiences had been been.
It is actually quite strange that people regularly invest in something as expensive as a tenement flat and don't have all of the details regarding the ownership of the building or the liabilities for repair.
If you're REALLY interested, I suppose that there must be something tucked away in the vadt amount of paperwork generated when you moved into the property...so maybe have a chat with your solicitor and ask them to retreived the appropriate document.
If you're REALLY interested, I suppose that there must be something tucked away in the vadt amount of paperwork generated when you moved into the property...so maybe have a chat with your solicitor and ask them to retreived the appropriate document.
I'm sure I do have all the details - I've just never needed to look at them. Maybe one rainy day I'll look them all out 
I think they are the same as property management companies and I've never had a good experience with those! {especially as a student!} because it's often not terribly clear what their being paid for.
However as someone who's currently in housing association, they have a simillar system where part of the rent goes toward upkeep of communal areas. Every year we get a breakdown of what the charge is for each service and it's set out in the tenancy agreement how often that service takes place.
I don't think it's unreasonable to sak your factor for something simillar.
However as someone who's currently in housing association, they have a simillar system where part of the rent goes toward upkeep of communal areas. Every year we get a breakdown of what the charge is for each service and it's set out in the tenancy agreement how often that service takes place.
I don't think it's unreasonable to sak your factor for something simillar.