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It’s an ownership thing.
Repairs to your home - New shared ownership model
New properties have a set time period within which the housing developer must fix defects - this varies but is usually 12 months. The 12 months start from when the builder hands over the property to us, not from when you move in. After this all repairs are your responsibility as a shared owner. If you want to make improvements to your home, you will need permission from us first.
£500 repairs allowance
Some properties, depending on the terms of your lease, will come with a £500 repairs allowance per year, for the first 10 years. It’s designed to cover 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 e.g., 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.
The repairs allowance applies to certain developments and in some instances, certain homes (to find out why, click here).
Please refer to your lease to see if your property has a repairs allowance.
For further information: click here.
- My lease includes a repairs allowance - how do I make a claim?
If you discover a repair that’s needed in your new home, you’ll need to arrange for it to be fixed and claim the cost, up to the value of £500 for each year of the first ten years of ownership, back from us.
You must use a Trustmark-approved tradesperson. To find a Trustmark-approved tradesperson, click here
If you break the terms of your lease, we have the right to refuse to pay for the repair. For example, if you cause damage on purpose or do not keep up with routine servicing and maintenance, such as regular boiler servicing.
- Do I need to provide you with a receipt for the repair work?
In order to claim back the cost of the repair, you will need to provide us with an invoice which includes a detailed breakdown of the work carried out. If your invoice is approved, we will arrange for the cost of the repair to be reimbursed to you.
- What happens if my claim is rejected?
If we reject your repair claim we will tell you why as soon as possible after receiving the invoice from you, along with a summary of your options.
- What if I don’t spend my £500 allowance?
You can carry any unspent allowance (up to £500) into the following year, but cannot roll it over again. The maximum allowance in any one year will be £1,000.
- What happens to the repairs allowance if I sell my home?
If you sell your home within the first ten years and your lease includes a repairs allowance, it will transfer to the new shared owner of the property. If the new owner purchases 100% of the shares, the repairs allowance will no longer be applicable as they will own the property outright.
