Information for leaseholders

If we carry out repairs to the main structure of the buildings in a management area, a proportion of the cost is charged to each leaseholder. This could include roofs, main walls and timbers, communal pipes, installations, internal passageways, communal lighting, footpaths and landings.

The service charge explained leaflet gives leaseholders a brief explanation of their service charge for 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2023.

Please select a tab in details of repairs 2022-2023 or the management area your property is in, to see the repairs charges. The management area number was in the letter we sent to each leaseholder.

To get a cost for each property the repairs cost is multiplied by the rateable value of flat and divided by the rateable value of management area. For example if the repairs cost £1,000, the rateable value of a flat is £180 and the rateable value of a management area is £750, the charge would be £1,000 x 180/750 = £240.

We take out comprehensive building insurance for every leaseholder. It does not cover the contents of your home such as your furniture and other personal possessions. For these you need to take out your own home contents insurance policy.

Building insurance covers damage caused to the building by a range of events including:

• Fire
• Explosion
• Aircraft
• Subsidence
• Earthquake
• Malicious damage (not graffiti)

Details of your policy are noted in the summary of leaseholders insurance policy document. On request individual property insurance certificates can be obtained from the Councils Housing or Legal team.

Making a claim

If you need to make a claim call Aspen Insurance UK Limited on 0800 358 0172 or make a claim by e-mail.

You will need to quote your policy number which is: NOAHTGY244AOL.

In the case of malicious or theft damage, you should report the matter to the police immediately and get a crime reference number.

If you make any improvements to your property (for example, double glazing, fitted kitchen, bathroom suite, and so on) you should let our insurance section know immediately so we can ensure the sum insured for your flat is correct.

The Seller's Pack provides information about your home to the buyer's solicitor. If you are thinking of getting a new mortgage for your home, your lender may want to see the information in the Seller’s Pack.

The Seller's Pack costs £250 including VAT. You pay this by debit or credit card when completing your online request. Only you or your solicitor can request a pack. We will not provide a Seller’s Pack to the person(s) buying your home.

Once you've paid, you will usually receive your pack 20 working days after we get your payment.

EWS1 Form

Completing an ESW1 form is not a legal requirement. The legal requirement is the completion of a fire risk assessment (FRA) under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. An FRA is provided as part of the Seller's pack.

The Seller’s Pack will include:

• Copies of the service charge invoices for the past three years. However, the invoicing for management expenses is in arrears. This means the seller will still be responsible for paying these costs until the date the property is sold.
• Details of the building insurance and schedule.
• Statement of Account.
• Statements about fire and asbestos risk assessments and monitoring sheet.
• Basic information about any work the Council may carry out to the block/estate in the future.
• General information about the property such as how many flats there are in the building and how many have been sold.

The invoicing period for the Management Expenses is in arrears. This means the seller will still be responsible for paying these costs until the date when the property is sold. Ground Rent and Buildings Insurance are also included in the Management Expenses invoices and they are paid once a year.

The invoice year runs from 1 October to 30 September. Invoices are usually sent to leaseholders in March/April. Money should be kept from the sale to cover these expenses. The Council does not give advice on how costs should be divided between the parties. It is expected the information provided will help parties to agree terms of sale and set up a retention fund. If the parties fail to do so, the Council cannot fix the situation and any outstanding debt will be passed on to the new owners.

Please make your buyer aware they need to complete and send us a Notice of Transfer once the sale has completed, in line with the terms of the lease and the information provided in the LPE1. If this doesn't happen the current seller will still have to pay the property's invoices as we won't have the updated information.

The Council's Finance Team has confirmed when providing accounts information for the resale of a long leasehold interest, we provide the last three years invoices for management expenses, ground rent and buildings insurance. From these documents, an average amount can be drawn which helps predict a retention figure for any future charges. These figures form part of the HRA accounts which then form part of our annual audited accounts which are published on our website.

You can purchase a Seller's pack by completing our online form.

If you have any questions, please e-mail the Legal team or call 01883 722000.