Service request

We need to know if a business property has a new tenant. This is so we can charge the new tenant, not the old tenant, for the property’s future business rates.

Either the new tenant or the property’s owner needs to tell us about the change in tenancy.

You should decide between you which one of you will tell us about the change in ownership. There’s no need for both of you to tell us.

Tell us about a change of tenancy for business rates

We need to know if a business property has been sold to a new owner. This is so we can charge the new owner, not the old owner, for the property’s future business rates.

Either the property’s buyer or seller needs to tell us about the change in ownership.

You should decide between you which one of you will tell us about the change in ownership. There’s no need for both of you to tell us.

Tell us about a change of ownership for business rates

Antisocial behaviour is acting or behaving in a way that causes alarm or distress to a person in another household.

It can include:

• noise
• shouting, swearing or fighting
• intimidation, threats or harassment
• abusive behaviour, verbal abuse or name calling
• dumping rubbish
• drug use or drug dealing
• animal problems
• damage to property, vandalism or graffiti.

If the issue is with a neighbour, speaking with them may help resolve the issue without us being involved. Make sure you feel comfortable approaching them and are not putting yourself or them at risk.

You can get advice from Citizens Advice Scotland about resolving neighbour disputes, including noise, antisocial behaviour, boundary and garden disputes or damage and repairs. 

You can also look at getting independent legal advice (Citizens Advice Scotland website).

We also have a free mediation service that can help you resolve difficulties with your neighbours.

Remember to always keep yourself safe. 

Antisocial behaviour in a public place

Contact our community support wardens on 0300 300 0380 (option 1) or contact Police Scotland online or phone 101 to report antisocial behaviour in a public place including:

• an ongoing disturbance
• drug misuse or suspected drug dealing
• other criminal activity.

The Council have no powers to deal with the smell of drugs on a premises.

Call 999 if it's an emergency.

Noise

If you:

• have an issue with noise from a domestic premises, including excessive TV noise, dog barking or persistent DIY.
• are disturbed by burglar alarms or industrial and commercial noise.

Find out what you can do about noise nuisance.

Use of domestic CCTV systems

We don't have any legal enforcement powers in relation to the use of CCTV in a domestic setting. 

You can find out more about the use of domestic CCTV systems (Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) website).

If you're a private homeowner

You can contact our community support wardens on 0300 300 0380 (option 1) or email wardens.es@renfrewshire.gov.uk 

If you're a council tenant

Report antisocial behaviour in a domestic property to your local housing officer.

Call 0300 300 0222 and choose the option for your local housing team or email:

• johnstone.hps@renfrewshire.gov.uk
• paisley.hps@renfrewshire.gov.uk
• renfrew.hps@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

Your local housing officer will try to improve the situation, which may include or speaking with you neighbours. 

You may also be given access to an antisocial behaviour app, to help you log what is happening and when it takes place.

If this doesn't resolve the issue, the local housing officer will escalate it to our Antisocial Behaviour Investigation Team.

Outside of office hours, contact our community support wardens on 0300 300 0380 and select option 1 or email wardens.es@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

If you're a housing association tenant

If you are a housing association tenant, contact your housing association in the first instance.

If you're a private tenant

You should speak to your landlord.

If your landlord can't help, you can contact our community support wardens on 0300 300 0380 and select option 1 or email wardens.es@renfrewshire.gov.uk 

We'll investigate your complaint and if we consider it antisocial behaviour, we will work with your neighbour to change their behaviour. 

If other methods, like speaking to the people involved or mediation have not worked or if the person does not change their behaviour, we may take legal action, such as applying for an Antisocial Behaviour Order (ASBO).

You can remain anonymous when reporting antisocial behaviour, but this limits our options to resolve the issue.

Neighbourhood Watch Scotland

Neighbourhood Watch Scotland brings local people together to address crime and other community safety issues.

Neighbourhood Watch groups often liaise with the local police, the local authority and other agencies. 

Find out more about setting up a Neighbourhood Watch, or check if there's already one where you live, on the Neighbourhood Watch Scotland website.

If you don't have a Neighbourhood Watch, you can sign up for email alerts about issues affecting your area. You'll get advice on what to do and a point of contact for reporting the issue.

If you have a problem with domestic noise, you can make a complaint to our Noise Enforcement Team.

If it's noise from children

Everyday noise from play or family life involving children is not antisocial behaviour and is classed as normal living noise.

In certain circumstances involving excessive noise, we may investigate the complaint.

If you have concerns about the welfare of a child or young person you can get more information and advice on our child protection page.

If it's dogs barking

What you can do about dog barking, taking legal action, what happens at a court hearing.

If it's a burglar alarm

Complaints are regularly received about noise from burglar alarms. Let the council and police know who holds a key for your alarm system. 

This can be done by filling out a burglar alarm notification form and sending completed copies to environmental services and Police Scotland. 

This will allow us to contact the key holder and have the alarm checked.

If it's industrial or commercial noise

Noise from industrial or commercial premises, such as construction sites, pubs and clubs or mobile food outlets, is a .

To report noise from an industrial or commercial premises, contact our Environmental Improvements Team.

You can call the Noise Enforcement Team on 077 6898 8186 from:

• 8.45am to 4.45pm, Mondays to Thursdays
• 8.45am to 3.55pm on Fridays.

Outside these hours you can call Police Scotland on 101 about noise complaints.

An officer will investigate your complaint and, where noise is caused by antisocial behaviour and is found to exceed permitted levels, the perpetrator may be issued with a warning notice under the Antisocial Behaviour (Scotland) Act 2004.

Failure to comply with a warning notice may result in a £100 fixed penalty notice being issued.

It's not always clear if a vehicle has been abandoned.

Signs it has been abandoned can include:

• flat tyres or missing wheels
• litter or leaves under the vehicle, mould or vegetation growing inside the vehicle - this may mean that it has not moved for some time
• smashed windscreen or windows
• missing number plates
• it contains items of waste such as tyres, old newspapers, or general rubbish
• vehicle parts, like the bumper, seats or radio, have been removed or damaged
• graffiti on the vehicle
• wires hanging from the dashboard because the vehicle has been 'hot-wired' - it has been driven without keys by connecting ignition wires together.

If you find an abandoned vehicle, do not enter or touch the vehicle. 

It could contain hazardous waste, be a fire risk, or have been used in a crime.

If it has been involved in a crime, the police will need to investigate it. 

Tell the police

If the vehicle is a danger to the public or causing an obstruction on a road, footpath, or cycle route, phone 101 to report it to the police.

Check if it's taxed

If it's not taxed, or it's not exempt from tax, report the untaxed vehicle to the Driver & Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) on GOV.UK.

Only the DVLA can remove untaxed vehicles. The council cannot remove them unless they are a risk to public health.

Some vehicles are exempt from tax if they are registered as off the road - they have a 'Statutory Off-Road Notification' (SORN). For example, they are not in use, are not in a public place or are a historical vehicle.

You can check if a vehicle is taxed on the GOV.UK website. 

You'll need to tell them the vehicle registration number, make, model and colour of the vehicle and the street name, town and postcode where you saw it.

Check with neighbours

Check with your neighbours or local businesses to see if anyone knows who the vehicle belongs to. 

If you still think it's abandoned

If you still think it's abandoned, report it to us. 

Tell us as much information as you can, like:

• what kind of vehicle it is, such as a bike, car, motorbike, van or something else
• the vehicle brand, manufacturer, model or colour
• what condition it's in, like if it's damaged, vandalised or burnt out
• the registration plate number
• how long it has been there
• a nearby address or the nearest street or landmark, and where the vehicle is in this place
• if it's on private land, council-owned land, or you're not sure
  any other information.

You can also upload photos of the vehicle or location if you have them.

If you tell us your name, email address or phone number, we may contact you if we need more information or we can't find anything.

Report an abandoned vehicle

We will try to find the owner, but if we do not, we'll remove the vehicle. 

There may a cost to remove abandoned vehicles from privately owned land or property, depending on how easy or difficult it is to remove it. 

If the vehicle is in a bad condition, it may be destroyed after 24 hours.

Otherwise, we will keep it for a maximum of 7 days. After 7 days, we'll either send it to be scrapped or sell it at auction.

If we trace the owner, they'll have to pay a charge for the removal and storage of the vehicle.

If you've found a discarded needle or syringe in an open area, or anywhere that's a danger to the public, report it to us straightaway.

Do not touch the syringe, or let children or pets near it.

We'll need to know exactly where it is so that we can find it quickly.

It will help if you can tell us the address where you found it. If you don't know the exact address, you can use the map on the online form to pinpoint its location. 

If you can't find it on the map, tell us the nearest street or landmark, and describe where it is in that place - for example, if it's beside a bin or street lamp.

Give us any other details, like how many needles or syringes you found or how dangerous they are. 

You can also upload photos of the needles or syringes or the location if you have them.

Report a discarded needle or syringe

Phone 0300 300 0300 to report a discarded needle or syringe.
 

If you provide us with an email address, we'll send you a confirmation email with a case reference number.

When we receive your report, we will investigate the issue.

We aim to remove discarded needles and syringes within 24 hours.

We may contact you if we can't find anything.

You should not put used needles or syringes in your bins or take them to our household waste recycling centres.

Instead, return used hypodermic needles to your doctor's surgery or health centre for safe disposal.

If you have a home to sell, you may be able to sell it to Renfrewshire Council.

Our buy-back scheme considers the purchase of former council homes from current owners and those placed on the open market, particularly where we are looking to increase our ownership in mixed tenure blocks.

This helps us to increase the amount of affordable housing in the area and meet identified housing needs.

There are many benefits to selling your home to the council, including:

• no estate agent fees
• no chain to consider
• no viewings to arrange.

Your property may can be eligible for the scheme if it meets the following conditions:

• it will increase the supply of council housing in the area
• it is a size or type that meets demands in an area
• it will help to address needs within existing housing stock
• it is close to existing council housing
• it represents good value for money to the council's Housing Revenue Account.

Any works required to meet the Scottish Housing Quality Standard and the council's letting standard would be carried out, and the property would be let in accordance with the Council's Common Housing Allocation Policy.

We will only consider buying a property if it meets the conditions and is considered good value for money. This will take account of the purchase price and cost of any repairs or improvements required.

Email us at regeneration.hps@renfrewshire.gov.uk if you're interested in the council's buy-back scheme.

More information

For advice and more information about the scheme, contact our owner services team:

• phone 0300 300 0300
• email ownerservices.hps@renfrewshire.gov.uk

What a missing share is

A missing share is where the majority of owners in a tenement or other flatted property agree to carry out common repairs or maintenance, but cannot take this work forward due to the minority of owners who are unwilling or unable to pay their share.

What the missing shares scheme is

We can help tenement flat owners in situations where one or more owners are not contributing to common repairs with a missing shares scheme.

Common repairs are any works that are needed to maintain the shared parts of a tenement style building.

We can consider paying a missing share if:

• the owners are responsible for repairs and maintenance work to shared areas of the building
• the majority of the owners have agreed to get the repairs or maintenance done
• the majority of owners have notified the non-paying owners that they are in the minority and their payment is needed in order for the works to take place
• it is unreasonable to ask an owner to pay
• if an owner cannot be found.

Payment of the missing shares will allow the other owners to carry on with the repair or maintenance to prevent more serious and expensive repairs in the future.

We also want to do this because it can help prevent Renfrewshire's tenement buildings falling into disrepair.

We'll then look to recover costs from the owners who have not paid for their missing share, plus any administration charges and interest.

The scheme is available to any fully privately owned tenement or flatted property.

If a property is owned by a landlord, it is the landlord's responsibility to pay their share of common repairs.

We can pay a missing share on essential common repairs and maintenance for works which have not yet started, to keep the building wind and watertight such as:

• replacing a roof
• replacing a gutter and roofline
• essential stonework.

How much you could get

You could get from £500 up to £10,000 for each missing share.

We cannot pay a missing share for work that has already started or completed.

Before applying for a missing share payment, you'll need to:

• identify the work that needs to be carried out
• get quotes for the repair from a contractor - the majority of owners must then agree to the work and agree to pay their share
• open a maintenance account - this is a bank account to hold the funds which are used to pay for common repair or maintenance costs
• calculate the share of costs for each owner
• write to all owners saying they must pay their share into the maintenance account by a specific date - this is called a Section 50 notice.

If you have a factor, they will be able to help you with this process. A factor manages and maintains the common parts of a tenement or flatted property owned by more than one homeowner, for example the stairways, hallways and lifts in a tenement flat.

Otherwise, you can nominate an owner in the building to act as the co-ordinator.

See more information on how to carry out each step in the process in our Tenement repairs scheme for owners and property factors leaflet.

If some owners are unwilling or unable to pay their share into the maintenance account by the date you have specified, you can apply for missing shares payment.

You can ask for an application form by emailing our owner services team at ownerservices.hps@renfrewshire.gov.uk.

You should complete and return this form to us by email along with the supporting information detailed on the application form.

After we receive your application, we will check to make sure:

• the repairs and maintenance are eligible and you have got competitive quotes for the work
• the Section 50 notice has been issued - if the conditions have been met, we will try and contact owners who have not paid their share into the maintenance account
• any owners with missing shares do not have existing debt with the council - we may not make any payments until this debt has been cleared.

If we decide to pay a missing share, we will then write to all owners before the work starts.

After the work is completed and we have received the final invoice, we will deposit the missing share costs into the maintenance account so the final bill can be paid.

If we decide not to pay a missing share, you can find more information and guidance on enforcing repairs on The Under One Roof website.

If you think dog fouling is an issue where you live, you can ask for a No Dog Fouling sign to be placed there. 

We only place No Dog Fouling signs in public places, not on private property or residential buildings.

You’ll need to tell us:

• an exact address for the sign, or the name of a local landmark or nearby place - not a residential address as we only place signs in public spaces.
• your name
• your phone number or email.

We’ll only contact you if we need more information about your request.

You can upload photos where you want the sign to be placed.

You can also tell us any other useful information, for example, if a previous sign has been removed or damaged, or how long the dog fouling has been an issue.

There is a separate form for reporting a dog owner who does not pick up their dog's fouling.

Ask for a No Dog Fouling sign

You can also ask for a No Dog Fouling sign by:

• phone on 0300 300 0380
• email at wardens.es@renfrewshire.gov.uk. 

If you’ve given us an email address, we’ll send you a confirmation email with a reference number. 

We may contact you if we need more information about your request.

If we think a sign is needed where you’ve asked for it to be placed, we’ll put it up within 7 days of your request. This could be permanent signage, posters or stickers attached to street furniture, bins or lampposts.

However, we may not place a sign if there are already No Dog Fouling signs nearby, or we do not consider dog fouling to be an issue in the area.