As a leaseholder repairs to your property are your responsibility and any communal or structural repairs’ responsibilities usually fall to the council.
In all cases please check your own individual lease for specific information about your individual liability for repairs.
However, for guidance and as a general rule, the following obligations will apply:
The leaseholder’s responsibility - inside the property:
- Depending on the terms of your individual lease, you may own the entrance doors to your property, and/or windows, including any balcony or patio doors, frames, fittings and locks. If this is the case, you are responsible for their maintenance - Individuals will need to refer to the terms and condition of the Lease - more information on high rise fire door upgrade programme, request for updated info. If the Council owns your entrance doors, it’s their responsibility to maintain them as well as any block entrance doors or communal doors in the building.
- internal washers / mains water stop valve (to your fixtures/appliances)
- burst or leaking pipes beyond the stop valve to the inside of your property
- repair or renewal to an individual water tank - if it is a renewal then alteration, permissiom may be required.
- repair or renewal of baths, sinks, taps, basins or WCs - if it is a renewal, then alteration permission may be required.
- leaks from waste pipes, traps and fittings, including branches up to the soil stack
- flooring, like floorboards and tiles (but not the joists)
- staircases inside the property
- decoration of the interior only of window frames and sills
- repairs to fitted cupboards
- forced entry to property, doors and frames - individuals will need to refer to the terms and condition of the lease.
- electrics inside the property, including fuses, fuse board, fittings, bells and rewiring
- individual heating systems inside your flat (not district heating)
- decoration of your flat (internal)
- internal ventilation equipment, like extractor fans
- ceilings (but not joists or beams)
- interior non-structural walls, including plasterwork
- fencing of individual gardens, including gates as defined within the lease plan if they have been demised to you.
The council’s responsibilities:
- some entrance doors and window frames (depending on the terms of your individual lease)
- washers/mains water stop valves to the block
- burst or leaking pipes (up to the main stop valve in your property)
- repair, maintenance or renewal of any communal water tank
- clearing blockages and repairing leaks to the main soil stack (main drains)
- clearing and repairing leaks to rain water pipes and gutters
- flooring, like joists / wall plates, damp-proof membrane or concrete floor slab
- exterior parts of the structure, like roof, walls, windows, foundations
- communal staircases
- glazing of communal windows
- communal electrics, such as rewiring, repair/ renewal fittings, door entry systems
- communal heating systems (district heating)
- communal decoration
- communal ventilation and fire safety equipment
- Communal footpaths, walkways, fencing and gates within the block boundary and general estate areas.
Any alteration works you wish to carry out inside your property are likely to require landlords consent under the terms of your lease. Please follow this link for additional information.
Contact
To report a communal repair contact the repairs’ call centre using one of the options below:
- Telephone: 020 8583 4000 - Option 1
Opening hours are 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday. For out-of-hours calls please call
020 8583 4000 and you will be redirected to the Council’s emergency team.
