Leaseholders and Shared Ownership
Find out more about what it means to be a leaseholder, and our shared ownership scheme
Leaseholders
A leaseholder is someone who has purchased their home under the Government’s Right to Buy scheme, or on the open market, however, the land or building belongs to someone else called the freeholder.
We manage more than 110 leasehold flats on behalf of Somerset Council.
As a leaseholder you will have signed a lease, entitling you to live in your flat for an agreed period, usually up to 125 years.
In return, you agree to pay Service Charges for:
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Ground rent – a fee paid to the freeholder
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Your contribution towards building insurance
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Your share of the estimated cost of maintaining, repairing, or improving the property and estate
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Your contribution to the Sinking Fund – an account for homeowners to save money for major programmes of work
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Management charges – to cover our costs for providing a service to you
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We paint the outside and shared areas of the building as well as carry out external and internal maintenance – this includes the roof, foundations, as well as windows, doors and entry systems in communal areas.
The law says we must consult you if any additional work will cost a certain amount of money. This is called a Section 20 Consultation.
We will talk to you about our plans if you have to contribute more than £250 for Qualifying Works – for example, repairs, maintenance and improvement works – or £100 for Qualifying Long Term Agreement Works such as grounds maintenance or regular contracts to redecorate the building.
Tenants contribute to Service Charges, repairs, and maintenance through their rent payments.
As a leaseholder, you will be responsible for maintenance within your flat as well as insuring your furniture and belongings. You may also need our written permission to carry out some improvements in your home.
Shared Ownership
We also operate a Shared Ownership scheme. Homeowners buy a stake of between 25% and 75% of the property using a deposit and mortgage. They pay us rent on the remaining share as well as Service Charges to cover such expenses as property insurance and grounds maintenance.
If you have any queries about your Lease or would like to know more about our Shared Ownership scheme, please contact our Customer Services Team on 0800 585 360, Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm and 10am until 5pm on Wednesdays.
For general information about the Section 20 Consultation process, visit www.lease-advice.org or ring 020 7832 2500.
How To Pay Your Service Charges
There are a few different ways that you can pay your ground rent and service charges with Homes in Sedgemoor, both online and in person.
You will need your 13 – 14 digit long reference number which begins with 2:
Online
Make a Housing Rent or Garage Rent payment
Debit or credit card
We have a 24-hour automated service for paying your charges via debit or credit card. Call 0800 585 360 and press option 1.
Direct Debit
A simple and secure way to pay either weekly on Friday or monthly on any day to suit you between the 1st and the 28th of the month.
Internet banking and standing order
If you would like to pay via internet banking and/or standing order, please contact Customer Services for the correct bank details.
Post Office
You can pay by cash, debit card or cheque, (payable to “Post Office Ltd”). Remember to take your payment barcode with you, this is at the top of all rent letters that are sent.
PayPoint Outlets
You can pay by cash or with debit card at any PayPoint in the UK and many are open 24 hours a day. Remember to take your rent payment barcode with you, this is at the top of all rent letters we send.
Safety certificates
If you are a leaseholder and would like support obtaining your annual gas safety certificate and/or five-yearly electrical safety certificate, contact our Customer Services Team.