Once you have bought a lease, you and subsequent owners (successors in title) have the right to occupy the property for the lease term, provided that:
- you pay your ground rent and all service charges on time - if you do not pay your service charges, the council can add interest on any outstanding amount (the interest is charged at a rate of 4% above the base rate of the Bank of England)
- you pay all other charges relating to the property, such as Council Tax and utility bills
- you keep your home in good repair and condition
- you do not structurally alter or add to the property without our written permission, including changes to windows and the heating system
- you allow the council access to your home, so we can carry out any repairs which remain our responsibility under the terms of the lease - reasonable notice must be given that we need access but under certain circumstances, the council is allowed to force entry if you deny access
- you allow other leaseholders within the block access, if it’s necessary for them to have access, in order to carry out repairs to their own property
- you use the property only as a private home
- you let us know if you are planning to let out the property
- you give us a copy of any official notice sent to you about the property, but which was not sent to you by the council
- you do not do anything to cause a nuisance to either the council or your neighbours
- you do not put up any aerials, satellite dishes or notice boards outside your property without prior written permission
- you tell the council if you intend on selling or renting out your property during the discount period, if you bought under the Right to Buy.
You also have rights under the terms of the lease. The most important of these are:
- the right to 'quiet enjoyment' of your home
- the right to see information about your service charges and how we have spent money on maintaining the building
- the right to be given notice if we need access to your home, unless it’s an emergency.