RICS Publishes Tenement Health Check Policy

Following stakeholder engagement, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) has published its Tenement Health Check policy proposal. This establishes mandatory five-year building condition surveys, with an objective to tackle poor maintenance in residential properties with common parts.

RICS highlight that a significant part of Scotland’s existing housing stock is at risk from lack of maintenance – and that this must be addressed urgently. Building maintenance is key to sustaining and future-proofing the fabric of buildings of every kind and nowhere is this more problematical than in the case of buildings in Common Ownership.

RICS’ Tenement Health Check policy proposal outlines how Government intervention, owner responsibility and greater stairwell communication can ensure well-maintained buildings and provide adequate living conditions now and for generations to come. Neglected buildings cause social problems and end up being condemned, which will only exacerbate a housing supply problem that is already critical.

To this end, RICS propose measures to encourage, and if necessary compel, common owners to have condition surveys undertaken every five years

Full details of the RICS Tenement Health Check Policy are available on its website here: Tenement Health Check Policy