Introduction
Ascham Homes is an arm's length management
organisation (ALMO) and has been set up to manage, maintain and
improve the council houses, flats and estates owned by the London
Borough of Waltham Forest (the Council). Ascham Homes is non-profit
making and it is wholly owned and controlled by the Council. Ascham
Homes acts as the Council's managing agent and carries out the role
of the Council as the landlord. Even though the properties are
managed by Ascham Homes, the Council is still the landlord and owns
the freehold of the properties.
Download the Leaseholders
Handbook (pdf)
When you buy a flat or maisonette, you do not
buy the flat itself, you just buy a lease from the landlord, which
gives you the right to live in the flat for an agreed period of
time. So, if you buy a council flat, the Council will continue to
be your landlord but you will not have to pay rent, except a small
amount each year, known as ‘ground rent’.
At the end of the lease period, the flat will
go back to the Council, unless you apply to extend the lease.
The lease is a legal agreement between you
‘the leaseholder’ and the Council. It contains details of the flat
and will normally include a plan showing your home, the building it
is in, the estate the building is on and any garden, shed or garage
included in the sale.
The lease will also explain your rights and
duties and ours.
Because your flat is part of a block of flats,
you must pay a share of the costs of maintaining the block and
providing services such as caretaking and so on.
These costs are called service charges and are
for the following services.
- Ground rent and buildings insurance.
- Routine repairs, services, maintenance, major
repairs and improvements.
- Electricity charges for any shared areas, for
example, lighting, power to lifts and controlled-entry
systems.
- Administration charges.
The buildings insurance policy covers your
flat and the block it is in. You must pay your share of this
insurance.
The buildings insurance policy does not cover
your furniture or personal belongings. You must make your own
arrangements to insure these items.
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