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Understanding your shared ownership lease

Your landlord’s responsibilities

Your landlord is responsible for maintaining the structure and the communal parts of the building. This includes:

  • communal fire alarms and carbon monoxide alarms
  • communal water tanks and pumps
  • district or communal heating systems
  • communal wiring

Find out more: getting maintenance and repairs done

Service charges

Although you are responsible for paying the service charge, your landlord must provide information such as:

  • service charge summaries
  • accounts (if you ask for them)

Find out more: rights to see information about service charges

Who is responsible for what: checklist

Landlord and shared owner responsibilities
Landlord Shared owner
Maintain structure and communal parts, and make sure the building is safe Decorate and maintain interior
Insure building Insure flat contents
Provide service charge information Pay service charge, rent and other costs
Last updated:
15 June 2026
Next review:
15 June 2028
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