Support for essential repairs through the Affordable Homes Programme

If your home is funded through the Affordable Homes Programme 2021-2026, your lease includes a new 10-year period during which you, as the shared owner, will receive support from Aster Group, as your landlord, to pay for essential repairs.

Following this 10-year period (from the date of the lease) if you staircase to 100% ownership before that time, you will then take on full responsibility for all repairs and maintenance.

You are able to claim up to a maximum of £500 for essential repair costs each year for the first 10 years of the lease.

This will include the cost of repairs to things that shouldn’t be faulty in a new build home, such as fixtures and fittings that:

• Supply water, gas, or electricity – for example sinks, baths or pipes
• Heat your home – for example a boiler or radiator
• Support the structure of the building – for example windows, doors or walls.

It does not include:

• Installing other fixtures (such as kitchen cabinets) and fittings (such as a bed or sofa)
• Installing appliances that use your gas, electricity or water supplies, such as ovens or washing machines
• Repairs covered by the building warranty or any other guarantee.

Any portion of repair and maintenance costs over and above £500 would be your responsibility if you are a shared owner. Shared owners can carry any unspent allowance (up to £500) over into the following year, but it cannot roll it over again. The maximum allowance in any one year will be £1,000.

You will need to get authorisation from your housing officer before instructing any essential repairs so guidance can be provided as to whether the repair qualifies as an essential repair.

You will need to arrange the repair and then claim the cost back from us. A Trustmark approved tradesperson must be used to carry out the repair in order for the claim to be paid.