Resolving disputes with other leaseholders

Check your lease to confirm your rights and the responsibilities of other leaseholders. Usually leases for flats in the same building will have the same or similar rules.

Most leases include clauses about:

• causing nuisance to other residents
• whether subletting is allowed
• keeping pets
• parking arrangements
• leaks and damage
• respecting communal spaces

If the problem is with a rental tenant, their landlord (the leaseholder who owns the property) is responsible for making sure the tenant complies with the terms of the lease.

Social housing landlords must have a procedure for dealing with anti-social behaviour. Contact them for this if it is not mentioned in your lease.

Help understanding the rights and responsibilities of leaseholders.

It’s important to keep records of any issues, including:

• dates and times of incidents
• what happened
• any communications you have with the other leaseholders or the landlord (freeholder)
• photos if appropriate

Keeping good records is helpful if the problem continues or escalates, as repeated breaches can be considered more serious and might have greater consequences for the leaseholder responsible.

In many cases, it’s best to try to resolve the issue informally before asking the landlord to act.

Options can include:

• talking directly to the other leaseholders
• contacting your landlord or managing agent
• using independent mediation
• raising the issue through your tenants’ or residents’ association if you have one
• contacting your local council for issues about anti-social behaviour – you can find your local council on GOV.UK

Citizens Advice has more information on resolving issues with neighbours and dealing with anti-social behaviour.

The landlord usually has the power to enforce the rules of the lease. Check your lease to see if you have the right to require the landlord to enforce another leaseholder’s obligations.

In some cases, you might have to cover the costs of enforcement. Check for an “indemnity” clause in your lease to find out if this applies.

If your landlord is responsible for resolving the issue, contact them and ask:

• what they will do to resolve the issue
• how long it will take to resolve
• when you can expect a response
• if there are any costs involved, and who is responsible for paying them

Put your request in writing and keep a copy. You can use our template letter to help you.

Always check your lease first. If it allows, you may be able to take legal action against another leaseholder without having to involve the landlord first.

Court action can result in an order for the leaseholder to comply with the terms of their lease, or pay damages if you can show that you’ve lost money because of something they did.

It’s best to get advice to see if legal action is the most suitable way to resolve the issue. Legal action is usually a last resort. It can be expensive, stressful and time-consuming, and you may not always get the outcome you want.

You’ll usually be expected to have taken other steps first (like trying alternative dispute resolution).

Find out more about going to court to resolve a leasehold dispute.