Help with housing

Greens locally and nationally are campaigning for more affordable housing, rent controls, tenants rights and more energy efficient housing.

South Lanarkshire’s first Green Councillor, Kirsten Robb, was elected in 2022 for the East Kilbride East ward.  During her time in office ( 2.5 years at the time of writing) a major part of her casework has been to do with housing. 

She has learnt on the job and is now sharing this knowledge and making it available in one place across South Lanarkshire to help you start solving your housing issues and making your home a better place to live. 

A good starting place if you’ve a problem is South Lanarkshire Council’s Housing and Homelessness page.

Homelessness

I need somewhere to live, but can’t afford the rent

You can apply for a social rented house. This is how to apply

Unsuitable housing

My home is no longer suitable for me

If you are a tenant, contact your council or housing association office to get help to adapt your home from the council. This page has information for tenants.

If you are a home owner or private renter then the Council’s Home Improve Service and the charity Care and Repair in Lanarkshire ( Phone: 01555 666200) can help you adapt your home to suit you as you get older.

My home is damp

If you are a social or council tenent there is a new council dampness team. You can contact the dampness team here

My neighbours are making life difficult for me

The council has an anti-social behaviour service to investigate issues, along with a free mediation service to help find solutions.

Repairs and improvements

Scottish secure tenants and short Scottish secure tenants have the right to have small urgent repairs carried out by their landlord within a given timescale. This is called the Right to Repair scheme

I’m a council tenant, I need a repair

There is information on repairs and your duties as a tenant on this Council housing repairs webpage. Use this webpage to get a link to a form to request a repair

I live in a flat and it needs to be repaired

If the block is factored then the factors will deal with it. If the block is not factored then the owner/s should jointly appoint a contractor to carry out any required works. However if owners won’t consent to works being carried out, the council’s Environmental Services can be contacted as they can investigate and issue statutory repair notices to have the work carried out so the property meets a Tolerable Standard. Find out more about Tolerable Standards, here.

Working with your neighbours to improve shared areas

As a council tenant, do I have any control about what the council decide?

If you are a council tenant, you can have your say on repairs, rent levels, investments etc.
Check out the South Lanarkshire Tenant Development Support Project, they provide independent, impartial advice, guidance and support to tenants and other customers on housing and related matters.

What about a tenants or residents association?

Having a tenants or residents association is a good way of working together to get funding and other support to make improvements. It allows you to represent local people when dealing with the Council or other organisations, work with the Council to shape and develop future services for your area and to share information and advice with local people. The council has a web page with advice on how to set up an assocaition, here.

Our communal grounds are a mess, I’d like to improve them

If your block is entirely privately owned it is up to the factor or joint owners to remove fly tipping or take other action to improve the grounds. Some residents in flats have improved their communal grounds by painting washing poles, clearing weeds, putting in garden furniture and plants for colour or food. As these are shared with other residents, please speak to and work with other residents, your landlord or the council to make these improvements. Grants or other support may be available for residents working together to improve their areas. In East Kilbride East, get in touch with Kirsten Robb for help, elsewhere try you local councillor.

My block has bin sheds that are being wasted

If your bin sheds are full of rubbish or not being used, would it be worth using them for kit / bike stores instead of lugging things upstairs? Get in touch with your local housing office to get your bin sheds cleared. Get in touch with Kirsten ( if you live in East Kilbride East) if you are interested in a project to create secure bike storage for your block.

I want to recycle but its difficult as I live in a block of flats

Good news if you live in East Kilbride as improvements in recycling will be coming to your area. Blue bins will now be used to recycle clean paper, card and cardboard. If you would like to recycle glass, cans and plastics at home you can order a 240L light grey bin if you have a suitable place to store it. You can read more about the recyling improvements in East Kilbride, here. Improvements will be rolled out in other areas in due course.

Saving money

I want to reduce my energy bill and improve the energy efficiency of my home

If you rent your house, you should contact your local council or social landlord office to find out about energy efficiency improvements.

If you are a homeowner, you can contact Home Energy Scotland (0808 808 2282). For more tailored help on energy saving and renewables you can contact the social enterprise, Loco Home retrofit.

What about insurance?

Not having insurance for buildings and contents could prove a costly mistake and cause you a lot of hassle in the long term.  

If you are a council tenant, the council insure the structure of your home but the cover does not include what’s inside, such as your furniture and personal belongings. By purchasing tenants contents insurance, your personal belongings are insured against events like fire, theft and flooding. Details of how to purchase tenants contents insurance can be found here.

If you rent privately, make sure you or your landlord / factor has building insurance. If you don’t have a factor, work with other residents to appoint one or organise payments together as a block.

You didn’t cover my housing problem

Contact Kirsten if you live in East Kilbride East or your local councillor for elsewhere. Another place to start would be or your local housing office.