Leaseholder Repairs and Maintenance Policy
This policy explains how Stevenage Borough Council manages repairs and maintenance for leasehold properties and communal areas within council-owned buildings.
Its main aim is to make sure homes remain safe, well-maintained and legally compliant, while clearly setting out which repair responsibilities fall to the council and which are the leaseholder’s responsibility.
As a leaseholder, you are responsible for repairs inside your own home – such as internal plumbing, heating, fixtures and fittings.
The council manages repairs to communal areas and structural elements of the building, including shared entrances, external walls, the roof, drainage, and shared utilities.
The policy also tell you how to report a repair, who can report it, and what timescales to expect depending on the urgency of the issue.
- Emergency repairs are handled within 24 hours,
- urgent repairs within 5 working days, and
- routine repairs within 20 working days.
You can report problems using your Housing Online – My Repairs account or by contacting customer services.
Leaseholders are expected to allow reasonable access when needed, and you may be charged if missed appointments or damage delays repairs. You’ll also be required to contribute towards the cost of communal and structural repairs, as outlined in your lease agreement.
The council may carry out planned or major works and will notify you through a formal three-stage consultation process known as Section 20 (S20). Customer feedback, post-inspections and complaints all help us improve the service.
If a repair may be covered by insurance, this policy explains when and how to contact the building insurer. We also strongly recommend that all leaseholders take out contents insurance.
For full details on responsibilities, processes, timescales and service standards, please download and read the full policy document below.
