4. General repairs
As a council leaseholder, you are required under the terms of your lease to contribute towards the cost of repairs and improvements to the building and any communal areas.
This means you may be charged for your share of repairs to:
- the block or building your flat is in
- shared areas and services
- improvements that benefit the building as a whole
Who is responsible for repairs?
In general:
- We are responsible for the structure, exterior and communal areas of the building
- You are responsible for the inside of your home, including fixtures and fittings
If you are unsure who is responsible for a particular repair, you should contact the housing repairs team before arranging any work.
If we carry out a repair that is your responsibility, you may be recharged for the full cost of the work.
Repairs we are responsible for
We are usually responsible for repairs and maintenance to shared or structural parts of the building, including:
- communal areas such as doors, windows, stairs, lighting, floors and ceilings
- shared communal washing lines and posts
- door entry systems
- window frames, seals, catches and locks
- shared pipes, drains and sewers
- shared paths and access routes
- sheds or outhouses provided as part of the block
- exterior walls and roofs
- boundary walls where they adjoin a public footpath
- ceiling beams and floor joists within individual flats
- communal side screen doors or gates providing access to rear gardens
- electricity and water supply to communal areas
- bin stores
Repairs you are responsible for
You are usually responsible for repairs and maintenance inside your flat and to items that serve only your home, including:
- door locks and door furniture
- your front door and frame leading directly into your flat, and all internal doors
- shed doors
- individual side screen doors or gates to a private garden
- boundary fences or walls to gardens sold with your flat (except where adjoining a public footpath)
- all areas between the floor and ceiling within your flat, including the floor and ceiling themselves
- individual washing lines sold with your flat (including posts)
- electrical and gas supplies that serve only your flat
- cisterns, sewers, drains, pipes, wires and conduits used solely by your flat
- window glass
- external cupboard doors
Reporting a repair
If you are uncertain about whether you are responsible for a particular repair you should contact the housing repairs team online.
If we carry out a repair for you that is your responsibility you may be recharged for the costs of the repair.