Tenement
In Scotland, a tenement is a building of several storeys divided into flats that share a common entrance and stair. In England the word can suggest poor housing; in Edinburgh it simply describes how most of the city lives, from Old Town buildings to Victorian blocks in Marchmont and Leith.
In practice
Old Town tenements, once called "lands", rose to great heights on the narrow ridge because the town could not spread out. Victorian and Edwardian tenements are lower, usually four or five storeys of sandstone, with a front door to the street and a back green behind. Each owner holds a share of the common parts - the stair, the roof, the back green - and repairs are agreed between owners, often through a property factor.
Why it matters to newcomers
Most rented flats in central Edinburgh are in tenements. Expect a shared stair with no lift, a rota or factor for cleaning, and a door entry system. Before signing, ask who the factor is and whether major common repairs (roof, stonework) are planned, since owners share the cost and some of it can reach tenants as disruption.
Related
- Close - the passages that served Old Town tenements
- Pend - the archway into a tenement's back court
- New Town - where the city first built flats and houses on a plan
Sources: Edinburgh World Heritage; mygov.scot: responsibility for tenement repairs.