Getting a pitch on a Gypsy/Traveller council site
You have certain rights when you get a pitch on a council-run site.
If you have problems, speak to the council’s Gypsy/Traveller liaison officer. This is someone employed by the council to make sure your needs are met.
Getting a written tenancy agreement
The council must give you a written tenancy agreement. This is a contract that explains your rights and responsibilities.
It should tell you things like:
- how much pitch fees are
- what to do with your bins and rubbish
- how to report repairs needing done
- how long you can spend away from the site travelling
- what happens if you break the site rules
- how much warning you need to give before you leave a pitch
If you do not get a tenancy agreement, speak to the council’s Gypsy/Traveller liaison officer.
Standards the council site should meet
All council sites must meet certain standards.
If the site or pitch is below these standards, speak to the site manager or the council’s Gypsy/Traveller liaison officer.
If this does not fix things, you can make a complaint to the council. Your tenancy agreement should explain how to do this.
Site standards
The council should make sure that:
- all roads and paths are good quality and well maintained
- all roads are safe to use, with speed limits and speedbumps if necessary
- there is enough lighting in shared areas of the site
Pitch standards
The council should make sure each pitch has:
- an area of hard ground for at least one caravan and car or van
- a bathroom, toilet and kitchen – this can be an amenity block or a static caravan
- proper drainage facilities
Amenity block standards
If the pitch has an amenity block, the council should make sure it’s in good condition. It should not have any leaks or damp.
It should have:
- clean running water, with hot and cold water at all sinks
- storage cabinets and worktops for storing and preparing food
- an electricity supply with sockets available, that is checked by an electrician at least every 5 years
- an energy efficiency rating of band E or better
Fire and gas safety standards
The council should make sure the amenity block has:
- a smoke alarm and heat alarm in the kitchen
- a smoke alarm in any living room
- a carbon monoxide detector in any room with a carbon fuelled appliance, such as a heater or boiler
The council should make sure any gas supply or equipment gets an annual gas safety check from a registered engineer.
More details on the standards
Check the full list of site standards on gov.scot.
Paying pitch fees and council tax
You’ll have to pay pitch fees and council tax.
If you’re on a low income, you could get:
- benefits to help pay the fees
- a council tax reduction, so that you can pay less
The site manager or the council’s Gypsy/Traveller liaison officer can help you apply for these.
Passing on your tenancy if you die
If you have a tenancy on a council site when you die, the pitch can be given to:
- your spouse or civil partner who lives with you
- a member of your family who lives with you
How to access local services
Registering with a GP practice
You can register with the local doctor. You must not be stopped from registering because you do not live in the area permanently.
Find a nearby GP practice on the NHS Inform website.
Getting education
You can get advice on local schools and getting an education from the Scottish Travellers Education Project.
Visit the Scottish Travellers Education Project website.
If you’re being asked to leave
The council can only make you leave the site if:
- you gave the council false information to get the pitch
- you break any rules in your tenancy agreement, including not paying your rent
- you’ve been away from the pitch for 7 weeks in a row without telling the site manager you’d be away
You must get warning in writing. You must get 28 days’ notice to give you time to leave.
You should be able to appeal against the council ending your tenancy.
You can also go to court to challenge it if you think you should get to stay.
Getting advice and advocacy
You can get free independent advice from: