Housing Regeneration Fund – Below Tolerable Standard Grants

£300,000 from the 2026/27 Town Centre Living Fund has been allocated to help tackle properties across Dumfries and Galloway that do not meet the Tolerable Standard or Repairing Standard.

About the scheme

For 2026/27, the council has put a scheme in place to support homeowners and private landlords whose properties have been assessed and found to be Below the Tolerable Standard (BTS) or failing the Repairing Standard.

These standards set the minimum condition a property must meet to be safe and suitable for someone to live in. Examples of properties that may fall below these standards include those with:

unsafe levels of lead in the water supply
structural instability
severe rising or penetrating damp affecting living spaces, such as bedrooms or sitting rooms

The scheme has received high levels of interest and demand. Grant funding is discretionary, meaning it is not guaranteed. However, we will continue to offer advice and guidance to people who contact us.

Managing demand

To help manage demand:

priority is given to the most severe cases
all existing approvals continue to be kept under review
new enquiries are not being taken at this time

This position will be reviewed as the year progresses and as the available budget is allocated.

Tolerable Standard

To meet the Tolerable Standard, a property must meet all of the following minimum requirements:

the main structure of the property is stable
there is an adequate supply of wholesome water, including a sink with hot and cold running water
toilet facilities are available for the exclusive use of the household
the property is substantially free from rising or penetrating damp
there is a fixed bath or shower and wash hand basin, each with hot and cold water
there is an effective system for drainage and disposal of foul and surface water
the electrical supply meets safety regulations
the property is adequately insulated
there is suitable ventilation, natural and artificial light, and heating
the property has a proper entrance

Where major works are required to bring a property up to the Tolerable Standard (for example, roof replacement or structural repairs), support may also include installing smoke and heat alarms where required. Where technically feasible, the aim is to support the installation of hard‑wired alarms.

Repairing Standard (for landlords)

The Repairing Standard is a legal minimum standard that applies to rented properties. Landlords must ensure their properties meet this standard at all times.

A property must:

meet the Tolerable Standard
be wind and watertight
be structurally sound
have gas, electricity and water installations in a reasonable state of repair
have fixtures, fittings and furnishings in a reasonable state of repair
have satisfactory food storage and preparation areas
have safe common areas, where applicable
have safe and secure front and back doors

Heat and Smoke Detection

The law on fire alarms changed February 2022 which means all Scottish homes will need to have interlinked alarms. Interlinked means if one goes off, they all go off, so you will always hear an alarm wherever you are in your home.

The new law has come about because of the Grenfell fire in London in 2017, and it applies to all Scottish homes.

It is the property owner's responsibility for meeting the new standard. Every home must have:

one smoke alarm in the living room or the room you use most
one smoke alarm in every hallway or landing
one heat alarm in the kitchen

All smoke and heat alarms should be mounted on the ceiling and be interlinked.

If you have a carbon-fuelled appliance - like a boiler, fire, heater or flue - in any room, you must also have a carbon monoxide detector in that room, but this does not need to be linked to the fire alarms.

You can use either sealed battery alarms or mains-wired alarms.

Both types of alarm are interlinked by radio frequency and do not need WiFi.

For more information, please visit Fire and smoke alarms: changes to the law – gov.scot.