Make a Payment

Itemised factoring invoices are issued to owners every 6 months – in April and October. Payment is due within 14 days of the invoice date. For convenience, we offer several ways to make payments:

  • Direct Debit – This is the simplest way to make a payment. It saves time, is convenient and gives you greater control over your money. Call us on 01555 665316 to find out more about setting up a Direct Debit.
  • Bank Standing Order – We can provide a form for you to give to your bank to set up a regular payment.
  • Allpay Payment Card – You can use this to make payments at any Post Office by cash, cheque, or debit card. You can use the card to pay at Payzone using cash or debit card and at all participating e-pay outlets by cash only.
  • Online Payments – If you have an Allpay Payment Card, payment can be made at www.allpayments.net or you can phone the Allpay payment line on 0844 557 8321 to make your payment by debit card.
  • By Post – You can send a cheque to our offices at 39 North Vennel, Lanark, ML11 7PT – please attach a note with your name and address. Please do not send cash through the post.
  • By Phone – Call us on 01555 665316 to make your payment using a debit card, or to set up a Direct Debit.

What should I do if I cannot pay my invoice within 14 days? Please contact us as soon as possible to discuss this matter.

What happens if I build up arrears? Prompt payment ensures the proper maintenance and insurance of your building.  However, if you experience financial difficulties, we recommend that you contact us immediately so that we can work with you to prevent arrears increasing.  If payment has not been made within 14 days, our formal arrears procedure is initiated and if necessary legal action will be taken to recover the balance outstanding plus any expenses and outlays.

Services

Factoring is a service we provide to owner-occupiers or shared owners who live in the estates we own and manage to maintain areas that have a common interest. The cost of these services is then apportioned to the owners (including Clydesdale Housing Association where it owns properties these costs apply to).  Areas of common interest include the building structure, roofs, close areas and common landscaping.

As a factor we organise common repairs.  A common repair is a repair that is the shared responsibility of all owners such as the roof, stairs, garden area and external walls.  Your share of the responsibility will be defined in the Title Deeds for your property.  We recommend that you refer to your Title Deeds to clarify your responsibility towards the common areas.

Your Deed of Condition is a legal document and details your responsibility and rights towards common repairs also known as a “burden”.  Within the Deeds there might also be information regarding the management of the common areas such as the obligations and duties of the factor.

We provide communal area factoring services to approximately 190 owners. Specific services for owners vary – owners are advised to check their most recent invoice for an itemised list of services they are being charged for. The range of services owners may see on their invoice can include:

  • Common soft and hard landscape maintenance
  • Maintenance and running costs of unadopted lighting
  • Common building maintenance, e.g., roofs repairs and gutter cleaning
  • Buildings insurance
  • Our management of the service

Management Fees

The management fee we charge covers the following activities we carry out as part of the Factoring Service:

  • Dealing with maintenance contractors
  • Procurement of maintenance contractors
  • Collating and apportioning service costs
  • Providing monitoring and supervision of the contractual agreements
  • Reviewing insurance providers
  • Keeping records of payments made
  • Payment invoicing
  • Providing updates on owners’ accounts
  • Supplying documentation to owners’ lenders and solicitors
  • Enforcing the arrears procedure

We are committed to enhancing our factoring service.  We aim to consult with owners regularly and where necessary we will organise meetings of owners to discuss matters that concern you.

Repairs

Owners are responsible for all repairs to their property. We will conduct repairs to communal areas up to a value of £150 per property and recover this through the routine invoices we issue every 6 months. Anything over this value requires us to obtain agreement from a simple majority of owners and full payment will be collected in advance of the work. In the case of an emergency, we can instruct a repair over the value of £150 without consultation if there is an immediate threat to safety.

You can report repairs for communal areas either by phone, email, fax or by using our on-line facility.

We will acknowledge receipt of any repairs reported online.  However, please bear in mind our office opening hours.

Insurance

Buildings Insurance: The buildings insurance we arrange for factored properties is provided under a block policy.  Subject to the exclusions and exceptions, the policy covers damage caused by:

•    Flooding
•    Fire
•    Storm Damage
•    Burst Pipes
•    Vandalism
•    Theft to the external structure of the building

Also covered under this policy is any damage of the above nature occurring to a particular flat and affecting any of the fixture in the flat.  The block policy insurance does not cover contents or damage through neglect or through wear and tear.

To find out more about the cover the policy provides or to make a claim, contact us on 01555 665316 or use the Contact Form.

Home Contents Insurance: Owners are responsible for insuring against the loss or damage to decoration, furniture, and personal possessions. Damage or destruction of belongings caused by a burst pipe or flooding from a neighbor above happens all too often. Home contents insurance gives you peace of mind that should something like this happen, you are protected.

Click here then select Home Contents Insurance from the menu on the left to find out more about affordable cover you can arrange through Thistle Tenant Risks.