Rights and Responsibilities

• Leaseholders have the right to peaceable occupation of the flat for the term of the lease, this is also known as 'quiet enjoyment'.
• Leaseholders have the right to expect the landlord to maintain, improve and repair the structure of the building, and to manage the common parts on his behalf.
  

Your responsibilities

• Primarily, to keep the inside of your flat in good order including: any service pipes or cables that only serve your flat, internal plumbing, internal electrics, window panes and door furniture, water tanks, and internal decorative finishes.
• It is your responsibility to have an annual gas safety check (where applicable) for appliances connected to the mains gas supply. You will be asked to provide an up-to-date gas safety certificate. You can contact the Trust to arrange this if you want.
• To behave in a neighbourly manner, and not to do certain things without the landlord's consent e.g. make alterations.
• To allow the Housing Trust access to your flat, for example to trace a fault or effect a repair, usually upon reasonable notice, but immediately in an emergency situation.
• To pay ground rent, block insurance and a proportionate contribution to the costs of maintaining, improving and managing the building.

The Trust's responsibilities

• The Trust is responsible for managing and maintaining the structure of the building, the exterior and common areas (entrance halls and staircases, etc.). Repairs will include work to roof structures, gutters and drainpipes, drains and damp-proofings, brickwork, windows and doors, joists and beams, utility cables and pipes, landscaping, paths and passages.
• The Trust is responsible for collecting the contributions towards the costs from leaseholders.
• The Trust will provide Services which will include (where applicable) grounds/garden maintenance, communal lighting, caretaking, window cleaning, communal aerial, communal door and entryphone and, in high rise blocks, fire safety equipment.
• The Trust is also responsible for the insurance of the building and common parts, and has the right to recover a contribution towards the premium through a service charge.
  

An administration charge of 15% is levied against all charges invoiced to cover the cost of providing specific leaseholder services such as banking and billing, records, consultation procedures and estate management.

It may be possible for a group of leaseholders to purchase the freehold to the block in which their dwellings are situated becoming the landlord themselves and taking over the management of the block. This however, is a specialised subject and you should seek proper legal advice if you wish to pursue this option.