Buildings insurance for leasehold properties
Buildings insurance claims for leasehold flats
Who is responsible for claiming
If there is damage to your leasehold flat or the building that would be covered by the buildings insurance, your landlord should make an insurance claim. This will reduce the cost of repairs that you’ll need to cover through your service charge.
You cannot claim directly yourself if your landlord is responsible for insuring the building.
Contact your landlord to tell them about the damage. Ask them to make a claim and arrange repairs.
Normally there will be an excess that the policyholder needs to pay. The landlord will recover this from all the leaseholders through the service charge.
Your right to tell the insurance company about a claim
You have the right to tell the insurance company about a possible claim, under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.
This right is meant to help you if your landlord is not making a claim, or is delaying claiming, and you’re concerned that the time limit for claiming may run out. It does not give you the right to make a claim under the policy yourself, or to force your landlord to claim.
To tell the insurance company about a possible claim, contact them in writing, and provide a brief description of the damage. You need to do this within 6 months, unless the policy allows a longer period.
Template letter
You can use our template to tell the insurance company about a possible claim.
Warranty claims
If your building is a new build property, it will be covered by a warranty for the first 10 years.
This provides cover for damage caused by structural defects or breach of building regulations.
If damage is caused by a structural defect, your landlord should make a claim under the warranty, rather than through the buildings insurance.
- Last updated:
- 1 December 2025
- Next review:
- 1 December 2027
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