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A homeowner's guide to Scottish Tenements |
Article Submitted by: Daniel Collins
Monday, 12 October 2009
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In some parts of the world they're known as flats, in others they're known as apartments. In some places both terms are used interchangeably, although sometimes one term is preferred over another to denote a certain level of quality; ‘five-star flats' isn't a commonly used phrase, but ‘five star apartment' is. So there are nuances across the English-speaking world to describe what essentially means the same thing: shared, multi-unit dwellings with a communal main entrance.
The word ‘tenement' has also been used in other parts of the world, notably the US, though normally in a pejorative sense to describe a lower-class type of shared-housing. In Scotland, however, ‘tenement' is used to simply mean a shared block of flats, particularly older ones constructed prior to 1919. In Edinburgh alone, the classic pre-1919 stone tenements account for a quarter of the housing in the whole of the capital, with very few of these shared blocks having any property management systems in place. Given that each flat/apartment is privately owned or rented it can be difficult to establish what type of heating systems are in place, which consequently means it's difficult to determine how energy efficient the properties are. At a time when environmental initiatives are being implemented across much of society, this is an area that is being addressed with a number of projects currently underway, designed to analyse and improve things like loft insulation, draughtproofing and heating controls. However, the environment is just one of the concerns pertaining to tenements in Scotland. Another concern relates to the insurance of individual flats within a tenement block, with complications arising due to the potential of a neighbouring flat making a claim against another tenement inhabitant's insurance company for any damage that is caused. Recommendations in the Scottish Parliament's ‘Tenements of Scotland (Act) 2004 went some way towards addressing these concerns, stipulating that a communal tenement insurance policy should be the preferred option over individual home insurance policies, and that any risks should be insured for the full ‘reinstatement value' of any flat in the tenement building, not the market value, which can be considerably less. Most people would argue that this is a good thing, given that in a shared building an individual's ability to maintain their own home may depend greatly on neighbouring properties. Plus, those who live on the top floor of a tenement may have unique structural issues to contend with such as leaking roofs - and having communal policies in place helps to ensure that everyone in a tenement block shares responsibility for the upkeep of the entire building. Daniel Collins writes on a number of topics on behalf of a digital marketing agency and a variety of clients. As such, this article is to be considered a professional piece with business interests in mind. Article Source: http://www.ArticleBlast.com |
About The Author:
Daniel Collins writes on a number of topics on behalf of a digital marketing agency and a variety of clients. As such, this article is to be considered a professional piece with business interests in mind.
Daniel Collins writes on a number of topics on behalf of a digital marketing agency and a variety of clients. As such, this article is to be considered a professional piece with business interests in mind.
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