Owning an ex Council flat or maisonette
When the flat or maisonette was bought through the Right to Buy scheme from us, the lease on the property was bought. This means that you bought the inside of the flat. The building that the flat is in is still owned by us. This makes you a leaseholder.
As we own the block, or exterior of your flat, then we are responsible for the upkeep of it. This means keeping the building up to living standards. As a leaseholder you will have to pay towards the work that we provide this includes paying for service charges, major works and insurance on the property.
Your Lease
The lease is a contract between you and us, and all leasehold properties are usually sold on a 125 year lease, from the original sale date. The lease tells you your rights and responsibilities and our rights and responsibilities. This is a very important document. If you have any queries about what can or can’t be done or how you should be told about things then your lease is the place to look.
When you read through the lease there will be some words that may be new to you. These are explained below:
- Leaseholder or Lessee. This means the person that owns the flat or maisonette.
- Lessor. This is the person or company that owns the building i.e. the Council.
- Demised Premises. This is what you own – the internal parts of the flat or maisonette.
Below is a quick summery of what repairs you are responsible for as a leaseholder and what we are responsible for as landlord.
Us
- Repair to burst / leaking pipe from mains to stop tap in your property
- Clear blockages and repairs to gutters and / or fall pipes
- Communal flooring and staircases
- Roof structure and covering
- The property entrance doors (except glass)
- Communal windows / doors
- Communal rewiring and repairs
- Communal heating systems (including some of the equipment and parts in the property)
- Forecourts, play areas, hedges, boundaries, gates, etc
- Communal plastering and decorating
You
- Repairs to water pipes beyond stop tap in your property
- Replace / repair bath, basin taps or toilet
- Flooring within the property (except joists and wall plates)
- Internal doors of property
- Electricity within the flat
- Individual heating systems in property
If you have not bought your property yet but would like to talk to someone about owning a flat or maisonette then you can contact the Home Ownership Team. If you have already bought and are already a leaseholder but you still have some questions about owning a flat or maisonette then you can contact the Leasehold Management Team.