The Tolerable Standard

This is the lowest level of repair that a house must meet to be acceptable as living accommodation. It focuses on the condition of the building itself and doesn’t include decoration or appliances.

The Tolerable Standard applies to all house types, including flats or, apartments.

Properties, not considered as houses, can’t be assessed under the Tolerable Standard conditions. This would include shops, or mobile homes. The Standard applies to all tenures, including houses which are owner-occupied or privately rented.

In Scotland, councils have a duty to ensure all houses in their area, that don’t meet the Tolerable Standard are:

• closed
• demolished
• brought up to an acceptable standard

A house meets the Tolerable Standard if it:

• is structurally stable
• is largely free of rising or penetrating damp
• has satisfactory natural and artificial lighting, ventilation, and heating
• has satisfactory thermal insulation
• has an adequate piped supply of clean water available in the house
• has a sink with a satisfactory supply of hot and cold water in the house
• has a toilet available in the house in a suitable place, which isn’t shared by other households
• has a fixed bath or shower and a wash-hand basin. Each of which with a satisfactory supply of hot and cold water and suitably placed within the house
• has an effective system for draining foul water (including sewage) and rainwater
• has an electricity supply, and all electrical installations keep to the relevant requirements, and are adequate and safe. For example, installations include wiring and associated parts or fittings, but not equipment and appliances.
• has satisfactory facilities for cooking food within the house
• has satisfactory access to all outside doors and outbuildings
• has satisfactory equipment, which meets legislative requirements, for detecting smoke, fire and carbon monoxide and giving warning in the event of fire or suspected fire

If a property fails to meet just one of the above conditions, it has failed to meet the standard.

If you believe that your home fails the Tolerable Standard, and you’d like information on how to improve the condition of your property, please contact us.

We can provide advice to:

• Homeowners – ways you can improve your property to meet the standard
• Landlords – your legal duties relating to the condition of the property
• Private tenants - your rights relating to repairs, and ways you can help your Landlord to get the repairs done