Repairs & Maintenance

What are my responsibilities? 

If you live in a property with areas of common ownership or maintenance responsibilities, you and the other owners in the block and development will be responsible for the costs of maintaining and repairing these areas. 

Flatted Properties  

Flat owners are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of their own property. This includes the flat entrance door and flat windows as well as private garden grounds, fences, gates and balconies. 

With regard to the common parts of the building i.e. the roof, gutters, downpipes, common close, communal gates and fences, these maintenance costs are shared equally between the owners within the close or block. Your Title Deeds will provide the exact proportion of these costs and this will be detailed in your Written Statement of Services. 

In addition to the common property costs, some flat owners must pay a share of the common estate maintenance costs. These proportions relate to the total number of properties within each estate and, in mixed tenure developments, are shared equally with tenants, each of whom pay a separate service charge in addition to their rent for this service. 

Houses 

If you live in a house, you are responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of your own property, garden grounds, driveway and perimeter fencing. 

Like some flat owners, you must pay a share of the common estate maintenance costs. These proportions relate to the total number of properties within each estate and, in mixed tenure developments, are shared equally with tenants, each of whom pays a separate service charge in addition to their rent for this service. 

Your Written Statement of Service details the share which must be paid towards the upkeep of the common parts of the estate.