COMMUNITY GUIDE a guide to living in edinburgh
not to scale leith
Royal Botanic Garden stockbridge
new town
queen street calton hill
george street princes street waverley rail station
the royal mile
the castle
palace of holyrood
old town scottish parliament
grassmarket
tollcross university george square
newington
the meadows
bruntsfield links marchmont
Down to king's buildings
pollock halls
city centre map
CONTENTS
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Introduction Settling in Being a flatmate Noisy neighbours Being a tenant Getting involved in your community Contacting your MSP / MP Key contacts
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INTRODUCTION Welcome to the Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) guide to living in Edinburgh! It’s packed full of useful information, from furnishing your flat, getting on with your flatmates and introducing yourself to your neighbours, to contacting your elected representatives (MSPs, MPs, and Councillors). Plus there’s a list of handy contacts at the back of the guide for when you’re not sure where to turn. Edinburgh is a fantastic city to live in and the key to getting the most out of your time here is to really get involved in your community. Whether you’re checking out your local farmers’ market, looking after parcels for the flat across the hall, or campaigning alongside your neighbours for better services, engaging with the neighbourhood will be really rewarding! There’s also lots more information – including tips and tricks from current students – on our website at eusa.ed.ac.uk/community.
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SETTLING IN Once you’ve unpacked it’s a good idea to head out and start getting to know your neighbourhood. Check out eusa.ed.ac.uk/community for great insider tips from students living near you! Now you’re in a flat, you really have a chance to personalise your space! Try Edinburgh Bargain Stores on Nicolson Street, get the bus out to IKEA or check out the many charity shops for quirky items to make you really feel at home. It’s also worth checking out the Shrub Swap and Reuse Hub on Guthrie Street. If you need tools to help you personalise and decorate your flat then check out the Tool Library 9am - 1pm every Saturday on Leith Walk in the Croall Place Police Box. Find out more at edinburghtoollibrary.org.uk. Now is also a good time to make sure you’re registered with a doctor and a dentist. The University Health Centre (health-service.ed.ac.uk) is based in Bristo Square. If you don’t live in their practice area or you’d like to register elsewhere, and to find your nearest dentist, visit nhs24.com/findlocal. Edinburgh has great transport options, with buses and trams covering the whole city. For timetables and routes, visit transportforedinburgh.com or download the Transport for Edinburgh app. Of course, the cheapest ways of getting around are walking and cycling. For some great tips on cycling, visit ed.ac.uk/cycling. For information on disabled access around the city, visit euansguide.com.
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BEING A FLATMATE Sharing a flat is different to sharing a friendship so don’t assume it will be easy. Discussing how things will work at the start can prevent a lot of issues. Cleaning Everyone’s idea of what is clean or tidy is different so it is good to discuss these expectations and to agree how you will maintain them. Rotas can be really useful. Sharing Are you happy with sharing milk but not with sharing toothpaste? Have a discussion about this - you may want to establish a shared fund for communal items such as toilet roll. Bills (electricty, gas, internet etc) Decide who is responsible for each bill and how they are going to get paid. Discuss how much you will need to budget for each bill and if you’d rather pay monthly or quarterly. Read our tips on how to save money and help the environment at eusa.ed.ac.uk/community. Communal areas Be mindful of how you use communal areas. Is your university work constantly spread across the kitchen table? Do you take an hour in the shower every morning?
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Expectations Would your flatmates worry if you didn’t come home one night? Is it okay to go into someone’s bedroom when they are not there? Do people mind if you have your girlfriend or boyfriend over all the time? Decide on these things early but check in with each other at key points like exam times. Compromise Tackle issues as they arise, don’t let problems fester. Have a conversation and come to a compromise - this may seem daunting but it’s a much better solution than leaving notes or sending texts.
noisy neighbours Being a good neighbour is easy: you just need to be considerate of the people living around you and understand that their lives might be very different from yours. They may work nightshifts, have small children or be elderly.
Introduce yourself to your neighbours when you move in – this helps build a sense of community. They will be more likely to approach you directly if they have any concerns rather than complaining to your landlord or the Council. Noise is the number one complaint people make about their neighbours. Don’t be the noisy ones. Keep noise to a minimum, especially between 11pm and 8am. Try not to hoover or put the washing machine on between these times. Noise travels easily in flats so keep music systems, televisions and computers away from adjoining walls. If you have visitors, ask them not to make noise in the stairwell or slam doors. If they are anti-social this may breach your tenancy agreement. If you have a party, stick to weekends if you can and speak to your neighbours first. If they are not in drop a note through their door with your contact number in case it gets too loud.
If the Council Noise Team has to make a visit, you could get a £100 fine or have your equipment seized, so if someone asks you to turn the music down, do it. If you want a weeknight party or you have a lot of guests consider hiring a venue. Pubs often let you book party rooms for free if you can guarantee enough guests. If you have issues with noise in your flat, carpets, curtains and other soft furnishings can help to soak it up. Anywhere draughts can get in, noise can too, so speak to your landlord to see if any cracks or crevices can be filled. The Council and the Police work together to deal with anti-social behaviour. If your neighbours are noisy or anti-social, you can contact the Council via an online form at edinburgh.gov.uk/forms/form/24/ en/report_antisocial_behaviour or dial the Police non-emergency number on 101. You may get a better response by speaking calmly and politely to the noisy neighbours first, if you feel able.
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BEING A TENANT
As a tenant, it can be easy to feel like the underdog, but you do have rights! Your landlord has a duty to keep your flat safe, secure, and in a habitable condition – that means keeping up with repairs and making sure everything is in good working order. All landlords must be registered. You should check if your landlord is registered by contacting the City of Edinburgh Council on 0131 469 5293 or visiting landlordregistrationscotland.gov.uk. Most properties with three or more people living in them will need an HMO licence (House in Multiple Occupation). This means they must adhere to minimum standards. To check if your flat has an HMO licence call 0131 529 4208 or contact hmo.licensing@edinburgh.gov.uk. For more on your tenancy rights, visit eusa.ed.ac.uk/advice/accommodation. If your landlord is not fulfilling their responsibilities, there is support available! You can contact EUSA’s Advice Place for guidance and the housing charity Shelter also have great information at scotland.shelter.org.uk. You also have responsibilities. As well as paying your rent on time and reporting any damage as soon as you spot it, you also need to think about the following:
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Communal areas Your lease may say you need to contribute to the upkeep of communal areas. Ask your neighbours how they divide up cleaning the stairwell or looking after the garden. Is there a rota or do you need to contribute some money for a cleaning service? Building security Help keep the building secure by always closing the main door behind you and only buzzing in people you know. Ideally, your flat door should also have more than one lock. If not, talk to your landlord. Keep any valuables out of view when not in use, keep a note of serial and model numbers, and mark them with a UV pen. Police Scotland have information about keeping your belongings secure at scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/home-and-personal-property. Waste You need to put your rubbish and recycling in the bins provided by the Council, which you’ll usually find outside your building. If you improperly dispose of waste you could get a £200 fine. Never leave bags in the street or in your stairwell. For information on recycling visit the City of Edinburgh Council website at edinburgh.gov.uk/recycling. You can find out lots of ways to cut down on your food waste, from recipes to meal planning, at lovefoodhatewaste.com. If you’ve got a large item to get rid of that won’t fit into your bin, don’t leave it on the street. You can arrange for the Council to pick items up or the Edinburgh Furniture Initiative or charity shops, such as the British Heart Foundation, do free collections. Bikes If there is space, you can store your bike in the stairwell – make sure you’re not blocking access or causing a fire hazard, and use a secure lock. Some neighbours may need extra space, e.g. parents with buggies. There are many solutions for storing bikes, such as wall brackets, but talk to your landlord first before installing anything in the flat or stairwell. For security keep a note of the serial and model numbers and think about using bikeregister.com.
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GETTING INVOLVED IN YOUR COMMUNITY Edinburgh is a great city to live in! To make the most of it take the time to get involved in local activities and events and seek out your own favourite places.
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Volunteering is a great way to give back to your local community, explore your city, meet new people and gain new skills. Whatever your interests, find out more at eusa.ed.ac.uk/volunteering.
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Join a society! With over 260 societies, you’re bound to find something you like, and many of them have events and initiatives that involve the community. See the full list at eusa.ed.ac.uk/societies.
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Check your local community centre or library for information about classes, events, ceilidhs, talks, festivals, vintage markets and more! Find your local community resources at edinburgh.gov.uk.
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Join your Community Council and work with other local people to represent the collective views of your community. To find yours visit edinburgh.gov.uk/communitycouncils.
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contacting your msp / mp You should have a say in the decisions that are made about the area that you live in. Get in touch with your elected local politician if you want their help or advice with any local issues such as transport, recycling or housing.
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Find your Councillor at edinburgh.gov.uk/councillors/search.
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Find your Member of Scottish Parliament (MSP) and Member of Parliament (MP) at theyworkforyou.com.
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Register to vote at gov.uk/register-to-vote each time you change address so you have a say in who represents you locally!
key contacts Settling in
Noisy neighbours
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For emergencies dial 999
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Dial 101 to report crimes and concerns that are not emergencies
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Dial 111 for NHS 24 if you need medical advice but it’s not an emergency
If you want help with noisy neighbours dial 101 at any time of day or night
Getting involved in your community •
To find a dentist and doctor: nhs24.com/findlocal
EUSA Volunteering: eusa.ed.ac.uk/volunteering
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University Health Service: health-service.ed.ac.uk
EUSA Societies: eusa.ed.ac.uk/societies
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Nightline (anonymous and confidential support run by students): ednightline.com
Community centres: edinburgh.gov.uk/communitycentres
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Libraries: edinburgh.gov.uk/libraries
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The Advice Place: eusa.ed.ac.uk/advice
Contacting your MSP / MP
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SHRUB for info on sustainability: shrubcoop.org
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Find your Councillors: edinburgh.gov.uk/councillors/search
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Euan’s guide for disabled access around the city: euansguide.com
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Find your MSP and MP: theyworkforyou.com
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University cycling: ed.ac.uk/cycling
Register to vote: gov.uk/register-to-vote
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Bike Station for second hand bikes: thebikestation.org.uk
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Buses and trams: transportforedinburgh.com
Being a tenant •
The Advice Place guide to your tenancy rights: eusa.ed.ac.uk/advice/accommodation
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Shelter website for online housing information: shelter.org.uk
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For info about recycling/waste bins in your street: edinburgh.gov.uk/recycling
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Police Scotland: scotland.police.uk/keep-safe/home-andpersonal-property
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edinburgh university students’ association reception@eusa.ed.ac.uk 0131 650 2656 eusa.ed.ac.uk
Edinburgh University Students’ Association (EUSA) is a charity (SC015800) and a company limited by guarantee (SC429897) registered in Scotland. Registered Office: Potterrow, 5/2 Bristo Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9AL