Leaseholds :triumph:

Does anyone know how if it’s usually the freeholders responsibility to repair and repaint window frames? I’ve checked the leasehold but it’s pretty vague…

I’m under the impression the glass would be my responsibility but the putty holding the glass, and wooden frames are in a bad state and I’m not getting any response from the agent involved. I’ve asked leasehold advice but they take a month to respond and it’s also fairly vague advice. I’m at the stage where I think I need to take it to court but don’t want to jump the gun.

Anyone had similar experience?

Hey, it is down to what is in your lease. Some say external things like windows are the responsibility of the management company and comes out of your service charge.

Is there a precedent set by work done in the past? If so, who paid for it?

I’ll take another look at the lease but it doesn’t go into specifics. By the state of it I doubt anything’s been done in over 5 or more years, so I could ask for the accounts and find out that way… problem is getting the freehold agent to do anything is like getting blood out of a stone.

Sometimes I find these rules pointless what’s the point if you can’t maintain?!

Just had a look over my lease (apologies for quality - this thing has been photocopied from leaseholder to leaseholder over the years:

image788×858 144 KB

And then further down:

My understanding of this is that i’m responsible for everything except the windows and doors, and the freeholder (Southwark council, in this case - presumably making them the “landlord” that owns the fixtures and fittings) is responsible for the windows and external door

Leaseholds, management companies, freeholders are a total mess. Whole system needs a serious overhaul to simplify or even better abolish it altogether.

Thanks for sharing this, gives me a little more hope. Your lease appears to be a bit more concise than mine, I’ll troll through my documents and post here later.

As a landlord, my understanding is that anything that was there when you moved in is the landlord’s responsibility, unless you damaged it, and anything you have added or brought in is yours. An exception would be cosmetic changes, like repainting/redecorating, with the landlord’s permission, just because you fancy a change. So, in short, I would say that rotting window frames are definitely the landlord’s responsibility.
Of course, getting the Council to do it is a whole different ball game.

are you talking about tenancy agreements? or owning a property under leasehold? This thread is definitely about he latter

The only way to be sure is to read your lease. That should have all your and your freeholders responsibilities and rights set out. Your solicitor should have taken you through this whem you were purchasing the lease. (Remember with leasehold you are purchasing a lease not a property)

We have to replace windows ourselves but our freeholder has to approve the work.

In my opinion maintenance of the windows an window frames is definitely the freeholder’s responsibility.

Un fortunately, most councils are now very short of cash and unlikely to be keen to take any action.

My lease is designed to be vague in favour of the landlord and the system on this and subject to interpretation. It is so difficult to get anything accepted unless it is absolutely clear. The landlord has passed the buck to the managing agent and the agent passes it back to the landlord.