Shared billing
We will pass on to owners the cost of all works carried out in an emergency as required by law.
There is a charge for work and actions we take.
When we are satisfied that the work has been carried out, the costs are split equally amongst owners according to the number of homes and/or commercial properties within the building.
All the properties under the roofline, from fire wall to fire wall, will be liable for costs incurred for all emergency shared repairs that we carry out. This approach has been upheld in various Scottish Court decisions.
All properties connected with a boundary wall will be liable for costs incurred for all emergency and enforced works that we carry out in relation to the wall, in accordance with 24 (1 and 2) of the City of Edinburgh District Council Order Confirmation Act.
Our charges
From 1 April 2024 our charges are calculated based on contractor’s costs plus Emergency Team Officer's time.
Emergency Officer time charge is £58.33 per hour during normal working hours. The minimum hours charged per standard job (if no re-visits are required) is 5 hours at £58.33 per hour with a total cost of £291.64.
The tasks undertaken by Emergency Officers on a standard job include
- retrieval and review of drainage drawing associated with the property
- a desktop risk assessment
- travel to and from the property
- assessing the defect
- instructing the contractor
- liability check of ownership
- raising the statutory notice
- checking contractors invoice
- updating the case management system and responding to customer queries.
Emergency Manager time charge is £70.35 per hour during normal working hours and is only normally required on complex jobs.
Surveyors time charge is £70.35 per hour during normal working hours and is only normally required on complex jobs.
Administration fee
In addition to the above, an administration fee of 10% will be added to all emergency invoices.
The administration fee includes tasks undertaken by our Customer Advisor Finance Officers, such as
- sending out the statutory notices
- checking and verifying liabilities
- payment of the contractor
- billing of owners
- updating the case management system.
Pay a bill or statutory notice
Call out charge
Our emergency service is designed to respond to immediately dangerous building or drainage defects and protect public health and safety. From 1 April 2024 we apply a call out charge if an owner calls us to their property but the situation is not immediately dangerous and we carry out no work.
During office hours a call made, accepted and inspection carried out by a Property Officer will be charged at £162.05 including VAT, payable by the person who called us out.
Office hours are Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm or Friday 8.30am to 3.40pm.
At all other times a call made, accepted and inspection carried out by a Property Officer will be charged at £223.78 including VAT, payable by the person who called us out.
If you want to talk about our charges or any part of our service, please contact us on
0131 529 6778.