What is the Right to Repair scheme and do you qualify as a Scottish tenant in need of a door repair?
By David McGuffie
As a tenant in Scotland, you have certain rights. One of these liberties applies to items within your home that need fixed. But what exactly is the Right to Repair? And what are your rights under this scheme if you need your door fixed?
What is the Right to Repair?
The Right to Repair is a scheme devised under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2001 and applies to Scottish secure tenants. Under this act, tenants have the right for any small urgent repairs costing under £350 to be attended to by their landlord within a specific timeframe. The Right to Repair scheme refers to all urgent repairs that, if not carried out within a certain time, could impact on the tenants’ health, security, or safety. Examples of such issues which would require urgent repairs would be roof leaks, blocked drains, broken heating systems, and faulty wiring.
Who qualifies for the Right to Repair?
The scheme covers all private and public-sector renters. This applies to tenants of private landlords or letting agencies, local council authorities, and housing associations. The latter also includes renters with membership of a fully mutual co-operative housing association.
My door needs repaired – is that covered?
A faulty or damaged door, including a broken lock or hinges, can enable intruders to get in and is therefore a risk to your safety and security. Because of this, a front door is covered by the Right to Repair scheme. However, if your repair is for an internal door, then you will likely have to attend to it yourself. Damage to internal doors is not considered to be a security threat or a health and safety risk and so is not covered by the scheme. Make sure you order a modern internal door that meets the UK legal fire safety requirements.
What is the process under Right to Repair?
If it is your external door that needs repaired and you are covered by the scheme, you should report the damage to your landlord or equivalent association. They might want to inspect your home just to make sure that the job qualifies for the Right to Repair. Assuming the work does qualify, your landlord should inform you of the maximum length of time that they must carry out the work, give you the name and contact details of their preferred contractor, and arrange with you to gain access to the property to carry out the job. Your landlord should also explain to you your rights under the scheme. If you prefer, you might be able to arrange with a contractor yourself to carry out repairs and then claim compensation from your landlord of up to £350. However, you should always check with your landlord beforehand and make sure that the specified work is covered by the Right to Repair scheme.
How long should my door repair take?
The specified time required to carry out work under the Right to Repair scheme varies according to the type of repair that needs done. Time for the work ranges from one to seven working days depending on what the repair is and is written in law. Issues such as blocked drains, unsafe electricals, no gas, heating or water, and significant leaks, are considered an emergency and must be fixed within one working day.
An insecure door is a risk to your safety and so this repair must be carried out by your landlord within that same specified time frame. However, damage to your door that does not threaten security but still needs swift attention – for instance a broken entry buzzer – is required to be fixed within seven working days.
Conclusion
As a tenant in need of a door repair, you might be able to qualify for the Right to Repair scheme. Always check with your landlord or relevant authority.
