My rights as a leaseholder
Your lease sets out the details of the property you own and your rights and obligations.
It will detail the length of the lease, the services that you pay towards, and the extent of your ownership.
It will outline what we provide as the freeholder, and what you must do as the leaseholder.
Leaseholders
We’re responsible for structural and communal areas of blocks of flats. You, as the leaseholder, are responsible for the interior of your home. As the freeholder we provide the buildings insurance, but as the leaseholder it’s your responsibility to arrange contents insurance.
Every lease is different. If you can’t find a copy of your lease to refer to, please request this through your MyRaven online account.
Generally, we’re usually responsible for repairs to the:
- Roof
- Guttering
- Window frames
- Communal doors
- Any other shared or structural items.
You, as the leaseholder, are usually responsible for the:
- Interior of the flat
- Including plaster on the walls
- Glass in the windows
- Any pipes or cables that serve only your home.
If you need to report a repair which is our responsibility, please do so through your MyRaven online account.
We can carry out some repairs which are your responsibility using our commercial arm, Raven Works, for which you will then be invoiced.
If you have a shared ownership house (as opposed to a flat), then structural repairs may be your responsibility. We’re still responsible for the building’s insurance.
If you’re concerned about damp in your home, advice can be found on our damp and condensation page. We would usually be responsible if damp is caused by a structural issue, but you may be responsible if damp is caused by something else.
It’s our responsibility to ensure the communal electrics, communal water tanks and fire safety in communal areas meet legal regulations.
Any checks, including gas, inside your home are your responsibility. We strongly advise that you carry out those checks which are your responsibility for the safety of yourself and your neighbours. You’re welcome to use our certified contractors to undertake this work, the cost of which will be recharged to yourself. Please contact us for more information.
Consent and alterations
Your lease states that there are certain things you need our permission for. These include keeping pets and making some changes to your home. Depending on what you want to do, there may be an administration charge for our time reviewing the request for changes. If you are planning on carrying out work to your home, please enquire before you start to check if you need permission.
You can apply for permission to keep a pet through your MyRaven online account.
Subletting
Most of our leasehold homes can be sublet but we’ll need an address and contact details from you. Please note, shared ownership homes and retirement scheme homes cannot be sublet.
Buying more shares
If you’re a shared owner, you can buy more shares in your home, usually up to 100%, meaning you’ll own your home outright. Some shared owners can buy 1% of shares each year without a formal valuation. In other cases, you’ll need a formal valuation to set the price and complete the purchase within 12 weeks. The valuer must be registered with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors. Please contact us to start the process, you can do this through your MyRaven online account.
Extending my lease
Most leaseholders can legally extend their lease. You would need to pay our legal and surveyor’s costs as well as the cost of the lease extension.
Find out more about the legal process
It can be quite complicated to work out the cost of a lease extension so if you wish to discuss it further, please raise a homeownership enquiry through your MyRaven online account.