What is a leaseholder?
Almost all flats in England and Wales are leasehold, as are many houses. Leaseholders buy the right to live in their property for a fixed number of years. The term, initially up to 125 years, starts to decrease every year until it expires and the ownership of the property returns to us, unless you apply to extend the lease.
As a leaseholder, you will normally own and be responsible for everything within the four walls of your property, with the exception of pipes and drains that also serve other properties. As you
r landlord we remain the owner of the overall building and the land it stands on and remain responsible for the maintenance and repair of the structure and exterior of the building.
Your lease agreement sets out these rights and obligations in full. A copy of the lease should have been given to you by your solicitor when you purchased your property. Your solicitor should also have explained the main provisions of the lease to you.
If you would like more information on your rights and responsibilities, service charges or our responsibilities to you, please contact our customer services team on 0800 783 2399.