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Leasehold properties

Your responsibilities are as a council leaseholder, service charges, building insurance, lease extensions, subletting and how to contact us about your lease.

In this section:

Your responsibilities as a leaseholder

The exact responsibilities in full are stated in your lease. Here are some examples, you should:

  • pay the 'ground rent' and all other charges for which you are liable
  • keep your home in good repair and condition
  • use your home as a single private dwelling for residential use
  • not carry out any structural alterations or improvements to your home without our prior written consent
  • repay any discount repayable if you resell the property within three years

It is your responsibility to arrange your own contents insurance. We have extended our contents insurance scheme to include leaseholders which means you can insure your possessions with us.

You have the right, along with any person going to or from your home, to have access to a water and electricity supply for your flat or maisonette. 

Selling or buying your leasehold property

If you purchased your property before 18 January 2005, you can sell it without telling us. Leases granted from that date include a clause that means you must offer us first refusal if you decide to sell the property.

You have the right to buy your council home.

What the council is required to do

Our obligations are set out in the lease. They may include: 

  • keeping the structure of the building in good repair and condition
  • insuring the building (including your premises but excluding personal belongings) against loss or damage by fire or any other risks which it may consider appropriate
  • consult you before undertaking any major works or improvements to the building

Our rights

These are set out in the lease and include the right to:

  • run and maintain electricity cables or water or gas pipes from any part of the estate or building through your flat or maisonette
  • enter and remain in your home for a reasonable period, subject to reasonable notice, to carry out works to the common parts or structure
  • carry out alterations or improvements to the building or estate excluding your flat or maisonette
  • close, divert or alter any roads, footways or gardens on the estate