Perth and Kinross Council hopes to make the lives of those living in properties with common areas much easier with a new app.
The free-to-download Shared Repairs app aims to make it easier for private homeowners to organise shared repairs in communal zones, such as entrance ways.
The app, developed by PKC partners at Novoville, allows users to create a ‘virtual tenement’ which connects owners to manage repairs and maintenance all within the app.
Issues needing repair or maintenance can then be reported to fellow shared tenement owners, and quotes and contractors can be found and hired directly through the app.
Owners can use an in-built voting system to select their preferred contractor.
Owners can pay their share of the cost directly through the app, rather than one owner having to co-ordinate those payments.
The app is free to download from both the App Store and Google Play, but comes with a two per cent extra fee chargeable at the payment stage to contractors at completion of a successful repair or maintenance project.
The extra fee is used to facilitate the payment to the contractors through the app and is added onto the invoice total.
The idea to use technology to make it easier for owners to address shared repairs was born from the Scottish Government’s CivTech Accelerator programme.
Housing and social wellbeing committee convener Councillor Tom McEwan said: “There are flats across Perth and Kinross in desperate need of repairs to common areas, which have been stalled for years because of the difficulties in bringing together all the different owners involved.
“I’m pleased that the council has looked for a new innovative solution to that age old problem.
“Together with our Missing Shares Scheme, which helps people find other owners and can even help with funding, the Shared Repairs app will make it much easier for owners to maintain and improve their properties.”
Louis Daillencourt from Novoville said: “As a country, we need to do a better job looking after our domestic built environment.
“It’s not just because our buildings look great and are part of our heritage: it’s also a lot more cost effective to maintain buildings than to repair them.
“We are very happy that Perth and Kinross Council got in touch with us to make the Shared Repairs app available to residents there.
“The council already offers great service with their missing share team, and it’s great to be able to assist them for the benefit of everyone in the area.
“At Novoville Shared Repairs, our goal is simple: provide a digital place where all your repair and maintenance works can be progressed faster, safer, and in a more convenient way than ever before.
“We’re grateful for Perth and Kinross Council for supporting this vision and working with us to raise awareness about it.”
