GENERAL HOUSING INFORMATION
Scottish Charity Number: SC 003133
Scottish Landlord Registration: 06414/340/16240
Housing Information Sheet – Updated 2015 07 31
BACKGROUND TO THE GANNOCHY TRUST
The Gannochy Trust was founded in 1937, by Arthur Kinmond Bell, whisky distiller
and philanthropist, for charitable purposes to benefit the population and city of Perth
and its immediate environs.
The charitable objectives of the Trust are the maintenance of the Gannochy Estate
and other properties and the distribution of surplus revenue by way of grant-making
to recognised charitable organisations.
A K Bell’s first major philanthropic project was building the Gannochy Housing
Estate, consisting of 149 houses, which was completed in 1931. His aim was to
provide inexpensive, rented accommodation for artisans and other deserving,
working people in the area. The Estate was designed as a model estate and it is
classified as charitable.
The Trust’s governing deed permits the Trustees to add to the housing stock using
Trust land, and, in four separate developments, 63 sheltered houses for the elderly
and disabled and 6 terraced houses for single people have been provided.
PURPOSE OF THE GENERAL HOUSING SCHEME
The purpose of the Gannochy Housing Estate is to provide to those who meet the
criteria:
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good quality housing at an affordable rent in an attractive, physical
environment.
The Trust, borne out by current research, believes that, stable and secure long-term
housing has a positive effect on the long-term employment, education and economic
outcomes for families and communities.
OUR EXPECTATIONS OF OUR TENANTS
The turnover in the occupancy of a Gannochy house is extremely low with only 3 to 5
houses on the Estate becoming available each year. A number of our tenants have
lived on the estate for most of their married lives. A tenant recently described the
estate as:
“A fantastic, safe environment to bring up children”.
The houses were, and remain, much sought after by prospective tenants. Therefore,
becoming a tenant within the Gannochy Estate comes with a responsibility. The
Trust expects tenants to be responsible for:
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Keeping the interior of their home in a good state of decoration and repair
Maintaining their gardens to a high standard
Taking their communal responsibilities seriously
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Being responsible for the behaviour of everyone (including children) living in
or visiting your home, garden or surrounding area (including communal areas)
Being responsible for their pets including cleaning up after any dogs,
particularly in gardens and public areas
THE HOUSING WITHIN THE ESTATE AND THE AVAILABILITY
The unique characteristics and environment of the Gannochy Estate set it apart from
other housing developments. The housing stock within the Gannochy Estate
consists of:
146 sandstone bungalows and 3 houses of red sandstone construction. The
bungalows have large gardens, many of which are laid out to trees, shrubs and
flowers, bounded by beech hedges which are trimmed by the Trust’s staff annually.
Many of the houses have an octagonal window and rowan trees at the front gate.
When the main estate was built it was known as both Perth’s garden city and the
‘sunshine suburb’ due to its generally south-west facing aspect which catches the
evening sun at the end of the working day. The bungalows have two or three
bedrooms.
The bungalows are well-constructed and maintained but, compared with many
modern houses, they are compact and have limited storage space. Bearing this in
mind, the Trust provides each house with a sizeable garden shed to store the
equipment required for modern day living.
6 terraced houses for single people which provide compact accommodation with a
patio area and a communal, serviced garden. The priority for these houses are the
current tenants on the estate who are seeking to downsize.
63 sheltered or pensioners houses in three separate areas of the estate. The
criteria for entry to these houses is, in the main, for people who are registered
disabled and/or over the age of 60 years and experiencing ill-health, hardship or
other disadvantage. However, a percentage of the houses are available to people
over the age of 65 who are seeking to downsize from a three or two bedroom
bungalow. The priority for these houses are current tenants on the estate.
PRIORITIES AND CRITERIA
The priority for a tenancy of a Gannochy Trust sandstone bungalow is:

Families with school aged children and under
The following criteria will also apply:
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Applicants are resident within Perth and Kinross
Applicants must demonstrate a genuine need to move from their present
home
At least one of the applicants must be in employment
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The property must be the applicant’s only residence
Applicants must be able to demonstrate their ability to maintain their house
and garden to a satisfactory standard
In addition, applicants will be required to:
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Demonstrate that they are financially stable and that they have the ability to
sustain the rental payments. You will be asked to provide a bank statement
and to agree that the Trust can carry out a credit check on the main and
additional applicant
Provide satisfactory references to support the application
THE RENTAL AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE TRUST AND OUR TENANTS
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Short Assured Tenancy Agreement
The Trust operates a Short Assured Tenancy Agreement under the Housing
(Scotland) Acts. The Trust’s standard General Housing Lease sets out specific
conditions and restrictions in connection with the occupation and use of the
property. These are summarised below. For full details of the constraints and
restrictions which will apply to a tenancy agreement on the Gannochy Estate,
please contact the Gannochy Trust Office who will supply you with a copy of the
lease.

Rental Level
The general aim of the Trust is to set our rent levels at a level which is
significantly below the current market value for similar properties. An
independent valuation is commissioned by the Trust every three years as a guide
to setting the rent levels. The Trust also regularly benchmarks the rents against
other housing providers. Rents are increased annually at a rate determined by
the Trustees and reviewed from time to time.
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Service Charges
Unlike a number of other housing providers, the rent is the total amount that you
will pay to the Trust if you fulfil your responsibilities as a tenant. Should the Trust
staff be required to carry out any tasks which are the responsibility of the tenant,
including garden maintenance, we will reserve the right to make a direct charge
for this service.

Management of Arrears
The Trust aims to recover outstanding arrears wherever possible. If the situation
remains unresolved, the matter is referred to the Trust’s solicitors.
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Handover
The condition of the house and inventory will be agreed with the tenant at the
start and end of the tenancy. At the commencement of the tenancy, houses will
be let in a clean, fully decorated order with all safety checks completed and
recorded. An Energy Performance Certificate will be provided.
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Property Inspections
The Trust has the right, providing due notice is given to the tenant (with the
exception of an emergency), to inspect the property while it is occupied to
ascertain its condition and/or to gauge what repairs are required.
Once the required notice to vacate has been given to the Trust by a tenant, a
post house inspection will be carried out. Any damage or unauthorised
alterations will require to be rectified. This may result in an outgoing tenant being
charged or an amount being deducted from their deposit.
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Repairs and Maintenance
The tenancy agreement makes the Gannochy Trust responsible for carrying out
most of the repair work in your home. In general, we will keep your home “wind
and watertight” and ensure it is “reasonably fit” for you to live in. This means we
will repair or replace most fittings and fixtures that have become faulty through
normal use and fair wear and tear. We also maintain installations including
electrical, plumbing and heating systems and other essential features of your
home. We will not replace fixtures and fittings for aesthetic purposes if they
remain in a serviceable condition.
We will not however repair anything that has been damaged by you, your family
or visitors – whether intentionally, accidentally or through neglect. If the Trust
discovers a repair that it has undertaken is due to tenant misuse, whether
intentional or accidental, you may be charged for the cost of the repair.
You are also responsible for carrying out various minor repairs; decorating the
inside of your home; and for maintaining any features or fixtures you have
installed yourself.
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Alterations and improvements
A number of restrictions apply to the houses which include the planting of
hedges; the building of fences; attaching satellite dishes to the structure of the
house; adapting the electrical or heating systems including the shed; using the
loft space for accommodation or office space; or conducting any business or
trade from the property with the exception of basic administration.
Should you wish to make any alterations or improvements to your home, you
must let the Trust staff know in writing before you carry out the work. You will be
responsible for obtaining any statutory consents and completion certificates
required by enforcing authorities or the Trust.
We will not refuse permission unless there is a good reason.
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Deposit
A deposit of the equivalent of one month’s rent is required and will be held by
Safe Deposit Scotland. The deposit is paid when the lease is signed. More
information can be found at www.safedepositscotland.com. If your tenancy
involves more than one tenant, a lead tenant will require to be named and this
person will be authorised to act on behalf of both parties regarding the protection
of the deposit, the claim for its repayment at the end of the tenancy, and any
dispute about it.
 Caravans and other vehicles
Driveways on the Gannochy Estate have been supplied for the purpose of parking
family vehicles. To ensure that caravans do not create problems for neighbouring
tenants, tenants who own a caravan must arrange to store the caravan at a
storage compound. Loading or unloading a caravan should be limited to one day.
Commercial vehicles, apart from a light van, should not be kept at the property for
prolonged periods or overnight on a regular basis.
 Pets
The Trust recognises the benefits of pet ownership. However, permission must
be sought from the Trust before you become a pet owner. We will ask you to
complete a Pet Policy which outlines your responsibilities as a pet owner within
the Gannochy Estate.
COUNCIL TAX
The Perth and Kinross Council tax is levied at Band E for a three bedroom house on
the Gannochy Estate and Band D for a two bedroom house.
ALLOCATION PROCEDURE
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Applications Procedure
The Trust’s procedure for allocating houses is as follows:
o All applicants must meet the Criteria
o All applicants must complete the Trust’s Application Form
o The application is scored against the criteria and all applicants who meet
the criteria will be invited to take part in an interview which will be held in
their own home.
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Please note that:
o There are far more applications than there are houses available. An
invitation to attend an interview, means that you fulfil the criteria but it does
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not mean that you will be allocated a house immediately or in the
foreseeable future.
o Should an applicant refuse the house that is offered to them, they may be
removed from the list and may need to re-apply if the housing list opens in
the future.
o We will normally only consider you for accommodation with the minimum
number of bedrooms needed for the size of your household. This includes
an expectation that two children below the age of 10, or two people of the
same gender, will share a double bedroom. In certain circumstances, a
double bedroom can be sought on health grounds.
COMPLAINTS PROCEDURE
The Trust has a Tenant’s Complaint’s Procedure which is outlined in the Tenant’s
Information Pack which is issued to new tenants.
Housing Information Sheet – Updated 2015 07 31