Leaseholders and Owners

What is a leasehold?

A leasehold is another form of tenancy. 

 

Whether you bought your home from another leaseholder or from Estuary Housing Association under the preserved Right to Buy scheme, the Right to Acquire scheme or the Shared Ownership scheme, you will have bought the lease on your home.

 

A lease is a legal agreement between you (the leaseholder) and the Landlord (the freeholder). The lease sets out the obligations of both the leaseholder and the freeholder. It gives the leaseholder rights over the property for a fixed term of years. During that time, you’re able to sell the lease of the property to another person.

 

At the end of the lease, the property returns to the freeholder. In most cases, you can apply to have the lease extended or, in some circumstances, apply to buy the freehold.

 

When you buy your home, you should request a copy of your lease from your solicitor. If this isn’t possible, you may be able to get a copy from your Mortgage Lender or Estuary Housing Association. You may need to pay an administrative charge. If you have concerns about rights or responsibilities, or if there is a problem or dispute, your lease will have the answers.

As a shared owner you have a lease that entitles you to live in your home. Your lease sets out the exact contract that you have with us. We can try and help you understand your lease, but it is a legal document so you may wish to contact a solicitor.

You must keep to the terms of your lease and ensure that anyone living with you, or visiting you also keeps to the conditions.

• You must pay the ground rent and service charge. Shared owners must pay any rent for the proportion of your home owned by Estuary Housing Association
• If you live in a flat you must maintain and repair the internal parts of your home. Residents living in a house must maintain the whole of the property including the exterior structure
• Residents of flats must allow Estuary Housing Association, or anyone employed by Estuary Housing Association, access to carry out necessary works to the block of flats
• You must pay any taxes or charges due for your home including bills for services and council tax
• You are responsible for ensuring that an annual gas safety check is carried out
• You must ensure that the contents of your home and all your personal possessions are insured
• You should not alter the exterior or interior of the premises without the written permission of Estuary Housing Association
• You must not use your home for anything other than a private residence.

We have a Block Buildings Insurance Policy. The insurer for this is Arthur J Gallagher Housing Limited. As a leaseholder, you pay for this as part of your service charge or rent. The policy provides an all risks cover for damage to the property and full rebuilding costs.

If you need to make a claim, please contact Arthur J Gallagher Housing Limited directly on 01245 341 215

Please remember that as a leaseholder or shared owner, you're responsible for the maintenance of your home and associated property, so you would be responsible for making any claim with the Insurers.

As with all insurance policies, there are things which aren't included, and excesses too.

With this policy, exclusions and excesses are:

• The first £50 of each and every material damage loss, excluding subsidence
• The first £350 of each and every escape of water from any apparatus or pipe*
• The first £1,000 of each and every material damage loss for subsidence.

Please also note that damage caused by an existing or hidden defect, gradual deterioration or wear and tear are also excluded from the policy.  For full list of exclusions please contact Estuary Housing Association for a copy of the Summary of Cover.

A full summary of the cover and policy conditions is available on request from Arthur J Gallagher Housing Limited on 01245 341 200

*Suggested advice when a water leak happens:-

• Take any immediate action required to protect the property from further damage, such as switching off the water supply. 
• Urgently call a plumber to identify and stop the leak
• If the leak is coming from a flat above you, you will need to speak to the occupier to fix problem from their side.
• Take photos of the resultant buildings damage
• Phone AJG to report the claim.