Guide

How to prevent condensation

Bathing, washing, and cooking all produce moisture that cannot be avoided. The first step in reducing condensation is to produce less moisture in your home.

You can reduce or stop condensation from forming in your home by following these steps.

Cooking and heating in your kitchen

Keep lids on pots when cooking. Turn the heat down once the water has boiled. Only use the smallest amount of water needed in the pot.

Keep the doors closed, open the window slightly or switch on the extractor fan for about 20 minutes after cooking.

Do not use your gas cooker to heat up your kitchen. This is dangerous and burning gas produces moisture.

Showering and bathing

Close doors when washing in the bathroom and open windows afterwards.

If you're filling the bath, run the cold water first and then the hot to reduce steam, which leads to condensation, by up to 90%.

Open the window slightly or switch on the extractor fan for about 20 minutes after use.

Laundry and clothes drying

When drying washing, dry outside where possible. Route your tumble dryer vent to outside your home if possible. 

If you are drying clothes inside, open windows for ventilation.

Avoid putting wet clothes on radiators.

Ventilation and opening windows

Ventilation allows moist air to escape and increases the volume of air moving through the home. Many houses have built in ventilation measures such as extractor fans or trickle vents, small openings in windows that let fresh air in from the outside.

You can increase ventilation and improve airflow in your home if you:

• open windows twice a day for at least 15 minutes to let air in and moisture out, or make sure trickle vents are open
• allow air to circulate in bedrooms  at night
• open windows and keep doors closed when there's steam in your kitchen or bathroom
• use your extractor fan if you have one
• wipe away condensation when it appears on windows.

If the extractor fan in your kitchen or bathroom is not working, contact us through the Report a repair online form or phone us on 0300 300 0300 and we will arrange to have it repaired or replaced.

Heating and temperature control

Keep your home warm and well ventilated. You are more likely to have condensation if your home is not kept warm. 

Avoid heating one room and leaving the other rooms cold, if possible. Try to keep temperatures in all rooms above 15C as this will reduce condensation on outside walls.

Make sure your furniture isn't blocking radiators so the warm air can circulate.

Avoid using gas or paraffin heaters as these produce high levels of moisture.

If you need help with your energy bills, contact our Energy Advice Team.

Insulation

Insulating your home  and preventing heat escaping can help tackle the problem of damp or mould through:

• warming the surface temperature of walls, ceilings, and windows
• increasing the overall temperature of the home
• reducing heating costs - meaning it's more affordable to heat your home to a higher standard.

We can arrange a visit from a Repairs and Maintenance Officer if you want to find out about insulating your home. 

Contact us online through the Report a repair form or phone us on 0300 300 0300.

Cold surfaces

Reduce the number of cold surfaces in your home by avoiding:

• putting furniture against outside walls that are always colder
• overfilling wardrobes and cupboards as it restricts air flow inside them and between them and the walls.

If you do this, make sure there is a gap between the furniture and the wall, and the furniture is not filled up.

How to prevent and remove mould

The best way of tackling mould is to reduce the condensation levels and prevent it from growing in the first place. 

However, there are some steps you can take to remove it.

To remove mould and prevent it from returning, wipe down or spray walls and surfaces with a fungicidal wash. You can often buy these products at supermarkets and DIY shops. Follow the instructions for use carefully.

After treatment, redecorate using a good quality fungicidal paint or wallpaper paste to prevent mould coming back.

However, fungicidal, or anti-condensation paint will not work if it is covered with ordinary paint or wallpaper.

If clothing or fabrics are affected:

• dry-clean mouldy clothes
• shampoo any affected carpets as mould cannot be removed by using a brush or vacuum cleaner.

Report an issue with mould and damp

If you've done all this and you can still see signs of damp or mould, tell us about this as soon as possible. We work with specialists who can install sensors to monitor the conditions and identify the cause before eradicating the problem.

Contact us through the Report a repair online form or phone us on 0300 300 0300.
 
We'll arrange for a repair and maintenance officer to visit your home and assess the issue.

Condensation occurs when moist air meets a cold surface and creates water droplets. For example, when a bathroom mirror steams up after a shower.

If untreated, condensation can lead to stains and mould. It can damage wallpaper, walls, ceilings, window frames, furniture, and clothing. 

You may not realise condensation is a problem until black mould patches start to appear on walls and ceilings, or sometimes on furniture and clothes. It can also cause timber on windowsills to rot.

Condensation can happen in rooms where a large amount of moisture is produced or when moist air moves to colder areas in your home. For example, if the main living room is heated but the bedrooms are unheated. 

This can occur:

• in kitchens and bathrooms
• behind wardrobes, beds, cupboards, or furniture placed against an outside wall
• inside wardrobes
• on mirrors, single glazed windows, and metal window frames
• in corners of unheated rooms and cold parts of outside walls.

Fire safety in high-rise residential buildings

Living in a flat in a high-rise residential building does not make you more at risk from fire.

Built to be fire resistant

Our 14 high-rise residential buildings are built and designed with fire safety in mind.

The walls and doors between flats, stairs and corridors are designed to resist fire and stop smoke spreading.

All our high-rise buildings have lots of fire safety measures in place:

• interlinked smoke and heat detectors in each council flat
• 60-minute fire resistant doors
• fire alarms in every building
• bin store fire detection and suppression systems
• daily housekeeping checks by concierges and caretakers
• operational inspections four times a year by the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service
• testing of emergency lighting, dry risers and fire hydrants every year.

Fire alarms

There are fire alarms in all the communal areas, stairwells, lift and plant rooms of every building.

Fire escape plan

Plan what you should do if there’s a fire in your flat or in your building:

• know how to exit quickly, especially at night
• know who is responsible for getting the children
• know where your front door key is
• have a designated ‘safe room’ in case you cannot escape, choose a room with a phone and a window
• practice your fire escape plan regularly and ensure everyone in your flat knows what to do in an emergency.

What to do if there’s a fire

If there’s a fire in your flat

Smoke and heat alarms in your flat give early warning, giving you time to escape safely. You should:

• keep calm, make sure everyone in your home knows there’s a fire then get out quickly
• don't stop to collect belongings
• if there’s smoke, stay low and crawl on the floor
• close doors behind you to prevent the spread of smoke and fire
• don't go back or try to fight the fire
• always use the stairs to get out the building, don't use the lift
• if you can, activate the fire alarm in the break-glass unit on the landing
• once you’re out, stay out and keep a safe distance, phone 999 giving your full address including your flat number and floor.

What to do if you are trapped

In the unlikely event you are trapped by fire:

• everyone should go to your ‘safe room’ in your flat, if possible furthest away from the fire or smoke
• phone 999 as soon as possible and give your full address, including your flat number and floor
• fill any gaps around the door with towels or sheets to prevent smoke from entering
• stand by the open window and shout for help to let your neighbours and firefighters know you need rescued
• if it’s safe, gather on a balcony so people can see you.

If your front door becomes hot, do not open it. If you can, wet it down.

If the fire is not in your flat

If you see or smell smoke in your building, bin area or bin chute, you should:

• activate the nearest fire alarm call point or phone 999 and give the fire’s location
• stay put inside your flat – you'll be safer inside
• keep your front door closed and close all windows and doors
• fill any gaps around the door with towels or sheets to prevent smoke from entering
• do not block the fire doors on landings or stairwells as they are there to restrict smoke transfer
• go to an open window and wait for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service to arrive.

Only leave your flat if you’re affected by the heat or smoke or if you are told to by firefighters or police.

Stay put policy

All our high-rise buildings follow the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service ‘stay put’ policy.

You can see important information for residents in high-rise buildings (Scottish Fire and Rescue Service).

Keeping your building safe

Help to keep you and your neighbours safe from fire by:

• keeping common areas, stairways, corridors and drying rooms clear of rubbish, furniture and combustible materials
• report any damage to fire safety measures immediately like lifts, alarm panels and fire doors
• do not prop open doors in common areas as these are fire-resistant and self-closing
• keep bin store and building doors secure to prevent unauthorised entry and reduce fire risk
• do not store or use gas cylinders, flammable liquids or fuels inside the building.

Emergency vehicle parking areas must be kept clear at all times so firefighters have quick access.

Charge scooters safely

Mobility scooters, e-bikes and other electrical transport can pose a serious fire risk.

Charge and store them safely to protect yourself and others:

• keep escape routes clear and reduce the risk of deliberate fires
• store them in a separate room with a smoke detector
• remove the battery when not in use
• do not use modified, damaged or uncertified batteries and chargers
• do not charge when sleeping
• do not store or charge them in common areas, bedrooms or escape routes.

Speak to your concierge or caretaker for advice and help.

Free fire safety checks

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service offer free home fire safety visits.

You can arrange a visit:

• on the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service website
• phone 0800 0731 999
• text FIRE to 80800 on your mobile phone.

Your local fire station will arrange a time and date that suits you. During the visit, firefighters will check each room of your house with you, helping you make sure your house is safe.

You can get more practical fire safety advice for your home (Fire Scotland).

If you see a fire, call 999 immediately and ask for the fire service.

Smoke alarms

All Scottish homes are legally required  to have an interlinked (connected) heat and smoke alarm system. If you're a council tenant, you'll have compliant smoke alarms installed in your home. 

Interlinked means if one alarm goes off, they all go off, so you will always hear an alarm wherever you are in your home. 

There are interlinked heat and smoke alarms installed in all our council homes.

Your home must have:

• 1 smoke alarm in the living room or the room you use most
• 1 smoke alarm in every hallway or landing
• 1 heat alarm in the kitchen.

If you have a boiler, fire, heater, or flue in any room, you must also have a tamper-proof carbon monoxide detector in the same room.

Check your smoke alarms

You must check that your smoke or heat alarms are working properly. Test the alarm every week by pressing the button located on the face of the alarm. We recommend you test a different alarm each time.

If you have other alarms that are battery operated, you should test them too. 

Most alarms have a test push button as standard. Press the test button for approximately 5 seconds and you should hear the alarm sounds.

If other alarms and detectors at the property are interlinked, they will also sound.

If your alarm isn't working, or it will not stop ringing, phone us on 0300 300 0300 to report it.

Do not disconnect your smoke alarm, even if the noise is irritating.  

Do not apply polystyrene tiles to ceilings and walls. If there's a fire, these can produce dense black smoke and release poisonous gases.

Disposal of old alarms

If one of our contractors is replacing an alarm in your home, they will dispose of the old, broken, or damaged alarm.

Some, but not all, types of alarms can be recycled at household waste recycling centres. Look on the alarm for information or check with the manufacturer.

Find out what you can dispose of at our household waste recycling centres.

Fire safety in your home

If you see a fire, call 999 immediately and ask for the fire service.

Follow these fire safety tips in your home.

Always:

• unplug electrical appliances at night if you're not using them, like chargers which can overheat and ignite causing fire
• do not leave anything with a lithium battery charging overnight, such as mobile phones, mobility scooters or e-bikes - all these devices have lithium batteries
• make sure all discarded cigarette ends have been fully extinguished, empty all ashtrays at night and leave the ashtrays on a flat surface
• place a fireguard in front of coal, gas, or electric fires and remove fabrics or clothes next to the fire
• close all the doors inside your home before you go to bed at night to limit the spread of fire and smoke   
• clean filters in tumble driers regularly to avoid lint build-up which can create a fire risk

Never:

• overload electrical power points - this can lead to sockets and adaptors overheating and creating a source of fire
• leave matches or lighters where children can reach them
• leave fires, heaters, or candles unattended or near fabrics or clothing
• leave cooking appliances unattended on the cooker or in the kitchen
• leave clothes or laundry drying over electric heaters unattended
• interfere with electrical wiring or gas pipework installed in your property, as this may create the risk of fire or gas explosions. 

You can read more information about the law on fire and smoke alarms (Scottish Government).

If you're having problems paying your council rent

If you're struggling to pay your rent, please phone us on 0300 300 0222. 

We can give you advice and support about benefits and other help that may be available. 

We can also discuss a manageable payment plan with you. Debt will not go away on its own, and we can talk with you about how to start repaying even a small amount.

Learn more about help with paying your council rent.

What happens if you do not pay your council rent

You're legally required to pay your council rent. This is part of your tenancy agreement. If you do not pay your rent, we'll have to start the process to recover the unpaid rent and, if it reaches this point, to evict you from your council home.

Here are the stages of the legal process and what you'll need to do at each stage.

Notice of Proceedings for Recovery of Possession (NPRP)

Before we start the court process, we'll send you a 'Notice of Proceedings for Recovery of Possession (NPRP)'.

An NPRP is a legal document. It tells you that we're planning to take you to court so that we can recover the unpaid rent and evict you from your council home.

Please follow the instructions in your NPRP so that you can contact us and make a plan to pay your unpaid rent. If you do this and start paying your rent, we could avoid taking you to court, and you may be able to stay in your council home.

If you do not contact us and make a plan to pay your rent, then we'll move on to the next stage: a court summons.

Court summons

If you received an NPRP but did not contact us to make a plan to pay your unpaid rent, you'll receive a court summons.

A court summons is a document from the court. It tells you when and where you need to attend court.

What to do if you receive a court summons

Do not ignore a court summons or be afraid to ask for help.

There's still time to phone us on 0300 300 0222 and make a plan to pay your unpaid rent. We might be able to avoid taking you to court. But if we do still go to court, you can bring this plan to show the sheriff that you're taking steps to pay your unpaid rent and that you want to stay in your council home.

If possible, pay your unpaid rent before going to court.

If you need advice or help before going to court, you can:

• contact Advice Works by phoning 0300 300 1238 or emailing adviceworks@renfrewshire.gov.uk - Advice Works is our free service that gives advice about money, debt, and benefits to Renfrewshire residents
• contact Citizens Advice Scotland (cas.org.uk website) to get free, impartial, confidential advice
• hire a solicitor.

What happens in court

In court, you'll need to tell the sheriff why you have not paid your rent and why you should not be evicted from your council home.

At the end of the session, the sheriff will either:

• order you to pay your unpaid rent over a period of time, allowing you to stay in your council home - this would be your last chance to pay your debt on a weekly schedule and avoid being evicted from your council home
• grant us a 'decree for recovery of possession' - this is a legal document that allows us to start the process to evict you from your council home
• move the case to another date, which sometimes happens in court.

The court can tell you how to appeal its decision if you do not agree with it.

Sheriff court orders (the decisions that sheriffs make in court) are registered with certain credit reference agencies. This means that it might become more difficult for you to get credit from banks or other finance organisations.

This is another reason to phone us on 0300 300 0222 and make a plan to pay your unpaid rent before we reach the court stage.

What to do when you want to end your council tenancy

You need to give us 28 days' notice if you want to move out of your council home and stop being a council tenant (end your council tenancy).

To start the process, phone us on 0300 300 0222 or email your local neighbourhood services office:

• Johnstone: johnstone.hps@renfrewshire.gov.uk
• Paisley: paisley.hps@renfrewshire.gov.uk
• Renfrew: renfrew.hps@renfrewshire.gov.uk

Once you contact us, we'll ask you to confirm your notice in writing.

If you do not give us 28 days' notice in writing, we'll charge you 4 weeks of rent from the date you return the keys to us.

Moving out of your council home

Make sure you've paid your rent

'Rent arrears' refers to any unpaid rent that you owe us.

Moving out with rent arrears may:

• make it harder for you to get another council home in the future
• have a negative effect on your credit rating.

We'll also have to mention your rent arrears on any reference requests we get from your future landlords.

To make sure you move out of your council home without rent arrears:

• find out how to get help with paying your council rent
• pay your rent arrears.

If you want to postpone your moving date

If you need to postpone your moving date and are already in your notice period, contact us as soon as you can so we can arrange a later date to end your tenancy.

Returning your keys to us

You'll need to return your keys to us at the time and place we've agreed with you. If you do not return your keys on time, you'll have to pay extra rent.

If you receive Housing Benefit and you're moving from one Renfrewshire Council home to another, your Housing Benefit cannot be paid for 2 homes at the same time unless there are special circumstances. Return your keys on time to make sure your Housing Benefit will be paid for the correct home.

Leaving the home in good condition

We expect you to leave the home in a good condition. We may charge you if:

• there's damage to the home
• you leave things behind that we need to remove
• you made any unapproved changes to the home that we must reverse.

We'll only charge you for unapproved changes, not approved ones.

If you made approved improvements to the home, you may be entitled to compensation once you move out. To get this, you must have:

• had our written permission to make the improvements before you started the work
• kept any bills related to the improvements you made.

You'll need to email us at repairsandinvestment.hps@renfrewshire.gov.uk during your notice period if you'd like to ask for compensation.

If they need a temporary place to stay tonight

Phone us on 0800 121 4466 if you're aware of someone who needs a temporary place to stay tonight.

If they need a permanent home

If you know someone who is homeless or could become homeless, and they need support to move into a permanent home, encourage them to contact us.

One of our housing options advisers will talk to them and help them start the process of finding a place to live.

They can phone us on 0300 300 1203.

You can also phone us on their behalf.

Find out more about:

• help for people who are homeless or could become homeless
• support available to avoid becoming homeless.

Other organisations that may be able to help

These other organisations may be able to help by providing free food:

Rental charge

We charge a weekly rent to provide temporary accommodation, furnishings, and access to advice and assistance from dedicated team of accommodation staff. Details of this are included as part of the temporary accommodation agreement.

Rental charge from April 2026 to March 2027

The rental charge is based on the number of bedrooms.

• 0 bedrooms (a bedsit) - £342.75
• 1 bedroom - £358.62
• 2 bedrooms - £364.80
• 3 or more bedrooms - £376.42

Ways to pay the temporary accommodation rental charge

We'll give everyone placed in our temporary accommodation relevant information on what benefits they're entitled to, and we'll encourage them to take up these benefits. We can also help with completing application forms and progressing benefits claims.

Contact us for help and support

Speak to your housing options adviser by phoning 0300 300 1203.

Temporary accommodation is a home with furniture provided to people while they have nowhere to stay.

If you're having problems paying your council rent

If you're struggling to pay your rent, please phone us on 0300 300 0222. 

We can provide you with advice and support about benefits and other help which may be available. 

We can also discuss a manageable payment plan with you. We need to speak to each other so that we can help you. Debt will not go away on its own, and we can talk with you about how to start repaying even a small amount. 

We can give you advice about: 

• repayment arrangements
• housing benefit or universal credit
• money and bills
• debt management. 

Find more information about paying off rent debt (Citizens Advice Bureau website).

Other ways to get help

We may refer you to other agencies who can provide specialist benefits and money advice and support. 

Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP)

Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) is a fund that can offer short-term financial assistance to tenants who get Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, who are having difficulty paying their rent. Find out more about Discretionary Housing Payment. 

Tenant Support Fund

You may also be able to get help through our Tenant Support Fund. You can phone us on 0300 300 0222 to discuss this. 

Crisis Grant

You may be able to get money from our Crisis Grant. This fund is for unexpected expenses due to an emergency or disaster and is for people on certain benefits.

Budgeting and managing your money 

Get started by trying to make a list of all the money you've got coming in and all the money going out of your household. You can use this budget sheet from Citizens Advice.

We also have a debt advice leaflet that provides useful information on: 

• how to deal with your debt
• the 6 stages of managing debt
• a budget sheet. 

If you need help in to fill in a budget sheet, you can phone us on 0300 300 0222.

Direct debits and standing orders 

If you find yourself missing rent payments, it may be helpful to set up a regular payment of your rent and service charges. You can set up regular payments in 2 different ways: by direct debit or by standing order. 

Learn more about the difference between a standing order and a direct debit (Royal Bank of Scotland website).

Find out how to set up a direct debit or standing order.

What council tenant rents are

Our tenants pay a weekly rent charge which is based on the type of property, the number of bedrooms and the heating system.

Rent pays for:

• a safe and secure home
• a responsive and emergency repairs service
• gas and electrical safety checks
• dedicated staff to help you
• home improvements
• maintaining the areas around your home
• 2 bulky waste collections of unwanted items.

How rent is charged

Rent is charged weekly and must be paid in advance.

You can choose how often you make a payment.

It is charged over 48 weeks.

Help with your rent

We have information on the ways you can pay your rent and help with paying your rent.

Phone us on 0300 300 0222.

Current rent charges

Our current average weekly rent charges from April 2026 to March 2027 are:

Houses

• 0 bedrooms (a bedsit) - £98.79
• 1 bedroom - £110.28
• 2 bedrooms - £122.93
• 3 bedrooms - £134.41
• 4 or more bedrooms - £143.60

Flats

• 0 bedrooms (a bedsit) - £90.75
• 1 bedroom - £102.24
• 2 bedrooms - £122.93
• 3 bedrooms - £126.37
• 4 or more bedrooms - £135.56

Maisonette

• 2 bedrooms - £118.33
• 3 bedrooms - £129.81
• 4 or more bedrooms - £139.00

Four-in-a-block cottage flats

• 0 bedrooms (a bedsit) - £96.49
• 1 bedroom - £107.98
• 2 bedrooms - £120.63
• 3 bedrooms - £132.11
• 4 or more bedrooms - £141.30

Multi-storey flat

• 0 bedrooms (a bedsit) - £89.60
• 1 bedroom - £101.09
• 2 bedrooms - £113.72

Weeks when rent is not charged

You do not need to pay rent when your rent is in credit or at zero balance week starting:

• 29 June 2026
• 21 December 2026
• 28 December 2026
• 29 March 2027.

If your rent is in arrears, you must continue to pay on these weeks.

Rent levels in 2026 and 2027

A multi-year rent strategy is in place.

This is to provide you with greater certainty to plan your budget and to help us forward plan our services and home improvements.

We've increased rent by 7.5% from April 2026 to March 2027 and plan to increase rent by 7% from April 2027 to March 2028.

These increases will be reviewed in advance and formally approved by our councillors around February each year.

We'll let you know in advance of the amount you will be charged.