Information for Tenants

The following information has been provided by your Property Team to assist with any issues you may have and is regularly updated with any new legislation or advice that has been implemented. All tenant deposits are lodged independently for the duration of your tenancy with My Deposits Scotland. Our Property Team work closely with the Scottish Association of Landlords (SAL) to ensure our tenants are treated fairly and with respect.

We expect all tenants to pay their rent by standing order unless otherwise agreed with our Property Team. Should you find yourself having issues paying your rent please get in touch on 01620 823720 or via email property@lennoxlove.com so we can assist you where we can.

Emergency Phone Numbers

If you have an emergency, the numbers to call are:-

01620 823720 – Estate Office Landline - Karen Smith

07870 848 752/07443 406035 – Karen Smith

 Infestations

If there is an issue with an infestation e.g. mice/wasps before the start of a tenancy, we will resolve this issue before you move into the property.

Should a problem occur with infestations during your tenancy, as a landlord we are responsible if the cause of the infestation is proven to be because we did not carry out certain repairs i.e. mice entering through holes in walls/floor etc.  Otherwise we would expect the tenant to take steps deal with the infestation themselves by laying traps or to contact a local pest control company for assistance.  As a tenant you have an obligation to ensure that the property is kept clean and tidy and to properly dispose of all refuse and food waste. 

Legionella Tenant Guidance

Domestic hot and cold water systems can provide an environment where Legionella bacteria can grow. This can cause Legionnaires’ Disease which is a potentially fatal form of pneumonia caused by inhalation of small droplets of contaminated water containing Legionella bacteria. This advice sheet gives tips for residents of rented domestic accommodation such as houses, bungalows and flats in small blocks.

Most importantly, make sure that –

  • Hot water in the system is kept hot

  • Cold water is kept cold

  • The water is kept circulated

In particular, it is important that you –

  • Tell your landlord if the boiler or hot water tank are not working properly,

  • particularly if the water is not coming out of the taps at a sufficiently high temperature. It should come out at a temperature of 50°C after it has run for a minute at the latest.

  • Do not interfere with the settings on your boiler or hot water system. The hot water should be set so that the water is heated up to 60°C.

  • Tell your landlord if the cold water is still running warm after you have initially run off any water which may have accumulated in the pipes. It should not be above 20°C.

  • Tell your landlord if there are any problems, debris or discolouration in the water.

  • Flush through little used outlets for two minutes at least once a week.

Where showers or spray taps are fitted –

  • If they are used only occasionally then flush them through by running them for at least 2 minutes once a week. Keep out of the way whilst this is being done as far as possible.

  • Clean the shower head and spray tap (including any removable inserts and hoses) periodically, descale and disinfect it. This should be done quarterly.

Where a property is left vacant for any time, e.g. student accommodation over the summer holidays, make sure that when it is occupied again at the outset both hot and cold water systems are flushed through by running all outlets for at least 2 minutes.

Legally, it is your landlord’s responsibility to take precautions to prevent Legionella being present in the hot or cold water system but residents also have an important part to play in taking these simple and practical precautions.

Heating Oil/Kerosene Suppliers

Baxter Johnstone Oils             0131 663 9781

Chrystal Petroleum Co Ltd      01875 619 619

Brogan Fuels                           01620 842 000 or (Les Hamilton

       07774985209) 

If the fuel you require to run your central heating is kerosene, you will have an a 1200 litre tank situated within the property grounds.  An oil watchman will be in your kitchen which shows the level your fuel is at.

You can either wait until the fuel level is down to level 4, then call the numbers above and see who is the cheapest and order the kerosene when you need it.  Or you can use one of the above suppliers and go on a monthly top up scheme, but you will need to arrange this directly with them. 

Do not allow your oil watchman to go below level 3, as the oil watchman monitor may not be 100% accurate.  They are just a handy tool to save you having to go to the tank to check the oil level.

IMPORTANT:  Please never allow your oil tank to run out of fuel as this will cause the boiler to break down and when the fuel is filled up, the boiler may not start up automatically and the system may require to be bled by a heating engineer.  If this happens, you will be charged for the engineer’s time.

We have the boiler serviced once a year, but if you ever have any problems with your boiler, just call or email property@lennoxlove.com. 

Important Information for Properties Using a Septic Tank

If you are renting a property which is connected to a septic tank, it is important that you do not put any of the following items down the toilet, as they can easily cause a blockage, which in turn needs to be cleared.  If everyone does as they should, there should never be any issues with the septic tank. The main items which cause problems are:-

  • Any kind of sanitary wear or nappies

  • Cotton buds (as they criss-cross over and then toilet tissue gets caught on them)

  • Any kind of wipes (toilet, makeup, baby wipes, cleaning wipes or anything similar as these do not break down – even though some say they do!)

  • Thick/quilted toilet tissue (it is much thicker than normal types)

  • Paper towels/Kitchen roll (it is much thicker than toilet roll)

  • Condoms

  • Cigarette butts

  • Plastics

All the above or anything else that you think may block the pipes leading to the septic tank should not be flushed down the toilet.

If the septic tank does get blocked and the problem has been caused by the tenant, a charge for clearing the blockage will be issued to the tenant. 

It is also very important that you do not use bleach in your toilets and sinks as this kills the bacteria in the septic tank and stop it working correctly.  You will be able to buy alternatives in the supermarket which are clearly marked “suitable for septic tanks”.

Information for tenants using multi fuel or wood burning stoves OR OPEN FIRES

The chimney must be swept at least once a year depending on the usage.   If the appliance is being used all year the chimney must be swept twice a year.  The sweeping of the chimney is the tenant’s responsibility; however, the Estate does the sweeping of the chimney once a year for you.  If you need it swept again, you need to arrange this yourself.

Wood burning stoves - you should only burn seasoned wood from reputable companies.  There can only be 20% moisture in the wood that is getting used, otherwise this will be detrimental to the stove and chimney and you may be charged for any repair work caused by burning wet wood.

Multi Fuel stoves - you should only use smokeless fuel or seasoned wood that can be purchased from reputable companies.

All stoves must be serviced annually to ensure all components and rope seals are in good condition.  The estate will arrange an annual service of the stove.

Do not use normal coal as this can burn at too high a temperature for components inside the stove.