Support Hub

Internal leak – if you have a leak from an internal pipe or appliance then locate the water shut off valve (stop cock) and turn it off. The valve can normally be found where the mains water pipe enters the property – in the hallway, hallway cupboard, under the sink. Try to contain the water in a bucket, with a towel etc.

Please contact us within working hours or if outside office hours call our 24-hour emergency line on 0161 383 4446.

Leak from the roof – contain the water in a bucket, with a towel etc. Please note roofers will not attend out of hours so please contact us in office hours.

Leak from the property above – contact the occupant of the property above and ask them to shut off their water and to contact a plumber. Turn off the lights in your property and try to contain the water in a bucket, with a towel etc. Please note it is the responsibility of the owner above to call a plumber and rectify the problem. We will deal with any damage in your flat when the leak has been fixed and the damage can be assessed.

Pre-Paid Electricity Meter – check that you have sufficient credit.

Check if any of the circuit breakers on your fuse board have tripped. They should be in the up position. To reset the breaker, you need to push it as far down as it will go and then push it to the up position.

If the breaker will not stay in the up position, a plugged-in appliance may be causing the breaker to trip. Unplug all appliances and then push the breaker up. Then plug in each appliance one by one until the breaker trips.

If all breakers are in the up-position, check if neighbouring properties have power. If others are experiencing the same issue, then call Scottish Power on 0800 092 9290 (from a landline) or 0330 1010 222 (from a Mobile).

1. Check that the heating controls are set up correctly e.g. the thermostat is set to the right temperature
2. Check that there is power going to the boiler e.g. is the display working, are there lights on the boiler? If not, check on the fuse board that the circuit breaker has not tripped
3. Check the pressure gauge reading. Normal pressure is around 1.5 bar. If the pressure drops below 0.5 bar the boiler will shut off. Top up the pressure until the reading is at 1.5 bar
4. Check there is not an issue with your gas supply e.g. check there is gas going to your hob. If you have a pre-paid meter, check that you have sufficient credit

If the problem persists, please contact At Home In Edinburgh. Please note that heating engineers will not respond outside of working hours so please do not call our emergency number. We will treat the issue as urgent when we return to the office.

If you detect the smell of gas in your property, then turn off the gas supply at the gas meter and open the windows. Do not use any electrical switches or naked flames.

Call the Scottish Gas Network on 0800 111 999 who should attend within 1-2 hours. Please then inform At Home In Edinburgh of the outcome.

If you have lost your keys or have locked yourself out during office hours you can collect a set of keys from our office. You will be required to pay a deposit of £20 and keys must be returned within 24 hours.

If you lose your keys or lock yourself out and our office is closed, then you will be liable for all charges associated with accessing the property. You contact Craig from Capital Locks on 07815193075 or feel free to use your own locksmith. If this results in a new lock being required, then you must supply 2 copies of the key to At Home In Edinburgh as soon as possible at your own cost. Please do not call our emergency number.

You are responsible for the eradication of vermin and pests if the infestation occurs after one week of the start of your tenancy.

Pests are usually attracted by food sources. If there is no food for them to eat then they will move on. You should make sure:

• No crumbs are left on food surfaces and floors after food preparation
• Rubbish bags are stored inside a sealed bin and disposed of quickly into the council bins
• Perishable and open packets of food are stored in wall units and not on worktops

Noisy neighbours may be unaware of the impact that they are having. Talk to them and explain the problem and ask them to modify their behaviour. You need to consider if this is a one-off event e.g. a party to celebrate a birthday or a pattern of repeated behaviour.

You can contact the police when the noise is happening by calling 101.

If the problem persists then keep a record of the dates and times that you are disturbed and contact your local council office and ask to speak to Family & Household Support. You can find your local office through the link below.

Condensation is one of the most common seasonal problems that our properties face and is the cause of a significant number of damp problems we attend. Prevention is better than cure and if not dealt with straight away it can lead to longer lasting problems including damp & mould.

The Scottish Association of Landlords has provided the following simple guidance to help reduce condensation:

1. Maintain a minimum temperature in all your rooms, especially bedrooms and bathrooms – temperatures should not be allowed to fall below about 18°C. If you are out all day leave some heating on to keep the house warm.
2. Minimise the amount of steam you produce when cooking and washing and always vent this to the outside, for example by opening a window or using an extractor fan where possible. Prevent steam migrating to other areas of the home by keeping internal doors closed.
3. Keep the bathroom door closed during and after bathing. Open the window (or use the extractor fan if you have one) straight after bathing in order to get rid of any moisture.
4. Dry clothes outside, or in a room with the window open and the door shut. Vent tumble driers outside if they’re not condenser versions.
5. Keep all rooms ventilated by slightly opening windows and keeping doors shut, particularly when the room is in use. Double glazed units often have trickle vents fitted which should be left open. This helps to release any moisture and prevents it spreading around your home.
6. Don’t block airbricks or window vents.
7. When going to bed, close the bedroom door and keep a small window ajar. When getting up, open the window and keep the door closed for a couple of hours to get rid of the moisture produced overnight.
8. Wardrobes and other large items of furniture should not be placed directly against external walls. Pockets of trapped air can lead to serious surface condensation and mould growth on the walls and furniture. Make sure to leave space between the back of the furniture and the wall and keep wardrobe doors open slightly.
9. Open a window and shut the doors of any rooms affected by condensation

The alarms in your property are interlinked. That means if there is a fire, all alarms will sound. If one alarm is beeping intermittently this is usually because of a fault or low battery.

The most common type of fire alarm with changeable backup battery is made by AICO and the below video shows how to remove the alarm head and change the battery.

If your carbon monoxide alarm is constantly sounding then turn off any appliance that is burning natural fuel e.g. the boiler and open the windows. The alarm should then stop sounding and you should contact us to arrange an inspection by a qualified heating engineer before turning it back on.

If the carbon monoxide alarm is beeping intermittently, that indicates a low battery. Please contact us and we will install a new one.