You and Your Common Room - A guide for Tenants and Residents

These rooms are for social and entertaining purposes for all tenants and residents living in a building. The following multi-storey buildings have or share a common room: 

• Aulton Court
• Bayview Court 
• Beachview Court
• Denburn Court
• Grandholm Court
• Greig Court 
• Hutcheon Court 
• Inverdon Court 
• Kincorthland 
• Linksfield Court 
• Mastrickland 
• Northsea Court 
• Promenade Court 
• Regent Court 
• Seamount Court/Porthill Court 
• Thistle Court
• Virginia Court/Marischal Court 
• Wallace House 

Access to these rooms is by a key. If you would like a key to your common room, please ask your Housing and Support Officer. 

It was agreed that there should be no set opening times. These rooms can be opened when tenants and residents want to use them. However, it is the responsibility of each person to consider others when using the common room and to ensure that the last person leaving locks the door. 

Your common room can be used for various activities. The following list gives some examples:

• Interactive Games (e.g., playing cards, bingo, and board games);
• Personal leisure activities (e.g., reading, knitting and sewing/crafts);
• Seasonal Events (e.g., Christmas Lunch, Hogmanay Party); 
• Tea/Coffee Club;
• Tenant & Resident meetings, and; 
• Drop-in sessions with your Housing and Support Officer. 

Please note this list is not exhaustive and other appropriate activities are permitted. 

Alcohol is permitted in common rooms, provided that there is no charge for it. No one is allowed to sell alcohol. 

The common room facilities are primarily available to provide all tenants and residents living in the building with a social and entertaining space. 

The council wants to ensure that tenants and residents can use the common room for personal events, e.g., birthday or anniversary parties. If you want to have a private event then please ensure that you:  

• Let the other tenants/residents know that you are using this room e.g. a note with the date and time on the Notice Board or just speak to them;.
• Avoid times when any regular activity occurs,. e.g., bingo;
• Take responsibility for the behaviour of your guests while in the building and/or for any property damage that may occur, and; 
• The common room must be left in its original condition, including furniture placement, clean up and disposal of rubbish.

If a tenant/resident wants to let a business use the common room for activities such as a Keep Fit Class, then it is up to that tenant/resident to ensure that this person has the permission of all the owners in the building, as well as the appropriate insurance. 

Please note that Aberdeen City Council is only one owner and there are residents who own their flat and therefore own a share of the common room. 

The kitchen can be used by all tenants and residents in the building. It is up to each multi to agree how these kitchens operate, e.g., tea and coffee arrangements. 

Tenants are not allowed to store their personal items in the common room. 

This is a group of tenants and residents who live in the multi who are elected by other residents in the building to be their voice. The committee organises events as requested by the members, usually held in the common room e.g., bingo, Coffee Mornings, and raffles to raise funds for the group.

The committee meet on a regular basis to plan activities. Notes of these meetings can be put on the notice board/Facebook page where every building will have their own way to communicate.

They also arrange meetings with various council officers to discuss any issues in the multi-storey. All tenants/residents should be invited to attend these meetings.

A constituted Tenant/Resident Group can fund raise and apply for external funding to purchase items as agreed by the residents e.g., new Christmas decorations and tablecloths. 

The committee can request a cupboard in the common room to store things such as bingo books raffle prizes and Christmas decorations, and this cupboard can also be locked.

Your Housing and Support Officer is there to assist the group by attending meetings if required and by dealing with any issues regarding the management of the common room. 

Below are a few examples of some of the things the council can provide for your common room: 

• Furniture and fittings;
• Decoration;
• Kitchen equipment;
• All repairs to Council property;
• Annual Testing of electrical equipment belonging to the Council, and; 
• Checking of Fire Alarms. 

A Code of Conduct is a list of agreed rules for how all common room users should behave in the common room. It has been put together by tenants and /residents to ensure that everyone has equal access to the common room, to prevent the facility being abused and more importantly to increase the number of tenants and residents benefiting from the facility.

The Code of Conduct can be found below: 

• Tenants/Residents and their guests are expected to always be respectful and considerate towards others.
• Inappropriate behaviour, including excessive noise issues are unacceptable.
• The facilities are to be left in a clean and orderly condition.
• The common room must be locked at night.
• Each person should be allowed to express their views while still respecting the views of others.
• Each person is individual and has individual differences which should be respected.