Shared Owners Responsibility Guide
Whether you’re a Shared Owner, a 100% leaseholder or freeholder (you own your home outright) this section is home to lots of useful information for you.
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Required Permissions
As a shared owner, your lease states you need to ask us for permission for:
- Keeping a pet
- Making alterations to your home
- Making alteration to your garden
See the tabs below for more information on each and how to apply for permission.
Pets
See more information and how to apply for permission.
Home Alterations
See more information and how to apply for permission.
Garden Alterations
See more information and how to apply for permission.
Communal Areas
Communal areas are shared spaces within a development, such as gardens, hallways, parking areas, pathways, and recreational spaces. These areas play a crucial role in enhancing the living environment, offering convenience, and fostering a sense of community among residents.
For homeowners living in properties with communal spaces, it's essential to understand how these areas are managed, maintained, and kept safe for everyone's use. Proper care and organisation ensure that these shared spaces remain clean, functional, and visually appealing, contributing to the overall value and enjoyment of the property.
Commonhold and Leaseholder Reform Act 2002
The right to manage your block.
The Commonhold and Leaseholder Reform Act 2002 gave leaseholders the right to manage the block of flats they live in. For more information please go to the Town and Country website
Communal gardens and open areas
See more on communal gardens and landscaped areas.
External wall fire review
See more on our External Wall Fire Review (EWS1).
Communal keys & fob replacements
.See more on keys/fobs to communal areas,
Communal Cleaning
We arrange cleaning of shared internal and external areas that we manage. You and your neighbours should ensure that these areas are kept clear, tidy and free of obstructions at all times. For more details, please refer to our Zero Tolerance guidance.
Your Neighbourhood
Living in a shared community means being considerate of your neighbours and contributing to a harmonious environment. Building positive relationships with those around you fosters a friendly and welcoming atmosphere, making the neighbourhood a pleasant place for everyone. This involves simple acts such as keeping noise levels reasonable, respecting shared spaces, and being mindful of parking and waste disposal. Additionally, understanding and adhering to guidelines around anti-social behaviour (ASB) helps maintain a safe and respectful community. This section offers practical advice and expectations for creating a neighbourhood where everyone feels comfortable and valued.
Consideration for neighbours
Everyone has the right to live in their own home without disturbance from others.
Car Parking
We ask all our residents to be considerate to their neighbours.
Waste & Recycling
Please follow the guidance from your local authority regarding which items you can recycle.
Anti-Social Behaviour
Anti-social behaviour (ASB) includes a wide range of unacceptable behaviours that affect the quality of life for residents or other people living in our areas.
You can report instances of ASB to our Homeownership team.
Maintaining your home
Under the terms of your lease, you are required to maintain your home in good condition. If the value of your home is less than it could be due to essential repairs, poor maintenance or overall condition. When you come to sell the property or buy additional shares Love Living Homes (Town & Country Housing's) share will be calculated on the higher value (based on it being in good condition).
Loft space
Your tenancy will determine whether you can use your loft space.
Solar panels
Your tenancy will determine who is responsible for solar panels.
Satellite dishes
Eco-Friendly Practices That Save You Money
Heating systems
Including boilers/other heating systems/gas & electricity. It is the responsibility of the current Shared Owner to have any necessary checks carried out on the boiler and gas appliances.
Rent, Service Charges and Insurance
Understanding your financial responsibilities as a homeowner or shared ownership resident is essential for smooth and stress-free living. This section covers key information about rent payments, service charges, and insurance requirements. Rent may apply to the portion of your property not owned outright, while service charges contribute to the maintenance and upkeep of communal areas and shared facilities. We also provide details on essential insurance coverage and any applicable administrative fees for services such as document requests or account changes. Staying informed about these costs helps ensure that you can budget effectively and enjoy a well-maintained home environment.
Rent Reviews
We will notify you about your rent increases which take effect on 1st April each year.
Service charges
We aim to be transparent with you about the costs involved in being a leaseholder
Building Insurance
TCH insures leasehold and shared ownership properties (unless TCH is not the
freeholder).
Admin and Management Fees
An administration and management charge are an amount payable to us by a leaseholder for a service that is provided directly in relation to their individual property and is therefore not covered by any aspect of the service charge.
Legal Information
Legal processes play a crucial role in various aspects of homeownership, from managing financial arrangements to making changes to ownership structures. This section provides essential information on legal services, including remortgaging, transferring equity, and extending your lease. These processes often require professional legal advice to ensure compliance with property laws and the terms of your lease. Whether you're making significant financial decisions, planning for the future, or navigating changes in ownership, understanding the legal requirements and seeking appropriate guidance will help ensure a smooth and straightforward experience.
Re-mortgaging / varying your mortgage
For more information on the process, please contact the Homeownership Team.
Transfer of Equity
Adding or removing someone from your lease is known as a Transfer of Equity.
Payments & changes to your circumstances
If you are struggling to keep up with payments due to a change in your financial circumstance, please contact your Income Manager.
Inheritance
If you are a Shared Owner your lease will specify how you can do this, and to whom the property can be transferred.
Lease Extensions
You may need to extend the term of your lease. For more information, please contact the homeownership team.
Sub-letting
If you are a Shared Owner, you must live in your property as your only home and subletting is not permitted.
Our Sales Team Services
Buying more shares - Staircasing
You can buy further shares in your property in the process known as staircasing, enabling you to own a greater proportion of your home. The greater the share you buy in your home, the less rent you will pay to us.
See the Staircasing Guide for further information and fees. Please note that some leases have limited staircasing, we would advise that check before applying,
Selling your Shared Ownership Home
As a homeowner, you can sell your Shared Ownership property like any other property. However, there are restrictions on the sale of these properties. This is to ensure the properties remain available to people in need of affordable housing.
There is a procedure to be followed when selling your Shared Ownership property, which will be set out in your lease.
Selling a Shared Ownership home is known as a resale, as you are selling your home to someone else. If you are a Shared Owner and wish to sell your home, we will give you advice and send you general information about the process.
Please refer to our Shared Ownership Resale Guide
Selling my property if I am a 100% leaseholder or freeholder (you own the property outright)
If you are a 100% leaseholder (you own the property outright), when you sell the property, the buyer’s solicitor has to serve a Notice on the landlord that the lease has been sold. Until this is received the current leaseholder remains responsible. We do ask that you notify us that you’re planning to sell, and once the sale is completed so that we are aware.
Aftercare & Repairs
New Build Defect Team
Moving into a brand new home is an exciting milestone — everything feels fresh, modern and yours. But even in a high-quality new build, it’s normal to notice a few small issues once you start living in the space properly. These are known as defects or snags, and every new home will have them to some degree.
The good news is that you don’t need to worry alone. Your home comes with a defect period (usually 12–24 months, depending on your developer), and the New Build Defect Team (NBDT) is here to support you through the reporting and resolution process.
This guide explains how to identify defects, how to report them properly — and most importantly — how our team works with developers on your behalf.
We represent you
We appreciate that when something isn’t right in your new home, you want it resolved quickly. However, as repairs are carried out by the developer’s contractors, appointments and scheduling are dependent on their availability and timescales.
While we can’t control contractor diaries or response times, we can:
- Make sure your case is logged correctly
- Follow up when works are overdue
- Keep communication clear and organised
- Escalate with the developer where needed
We know it can be tempting to “get someone in quickly” — but please do not instruct your own contractor to carry out defect repairs. Doing so may void your warranty and LLH will not reimburse any costs for works arranged independently. Even if you believe an issue is urgent, please contact us first so we can assess the situation and advise on the correct process.
Your lease start date will always be specified on the lease contract you signed with us before you moved into your home. Your lease start date is not the same as the day you moved into your property.
If you buy a house: you are responsible for all repairs inside your home, to the structure of the building, in your garden and to any parking spaces that form part of your demise.
If you buy an apartment: you are responsible for repairing and maintaining your home. We/the Freeholder/landlord are responsible for repairs to the structure of your building and shared areas. If you report a repair that is your responsibility and we carry out the work, then you will be charged unless it is a new build within a defect period (and covered by the defect policy).
Defect Period
After moving into your new home, there's a defect period.
Snagging
During the defect period, you may encounter minor issues or "snags" in your new home.
Build Warranty
New build properties often come with a structural warranty to provide peace of mind regarding the long-term integrity of the building.
Repairs & Maintenance
Your lease start date will always be specified on the lease contract you signed with us before you moved into your home.
Initial Repair Period
If you purchased a shared ownership home since 2021, it might have an ‘initial repair period’ in the lease. During the initial repair period, the landlord is responsible for the cost of some repairs.