Shared Ownership London: Who Is Responsible for Property Repairs?

Shared Ownership Repairs: Who Pays for What?

Shared ownership is a significant tenure in London, with tens of thousands of households owning a percentage share — typically 25% to 75% — of a property while paying rent on the remainder to a housing association. Repair responsibilities in shared ownership are frequently misunderstood, and the answer is more nuanced than a simple landlord/tenant split.

The General Principle: Shared Owners Are Responsible for Repairs

Under the standard shared ownership lease, the shared owner is responsible for all internal and external repairs to their property from day one of ownership — regardless of their ownership percentage. This is fundamentally different from a standard assured shorthold tenancy, where a landlord carries most repair obligations under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985.

This means the shared owner pays for:

• Plumbing repairs within the property (leaking taps, boiler breakdowns, blocked internal drains)
• Electrical faults within the flat or house
• Heating system maintenance and replacement
• Internal decorations
• Window repairs and replacement (in most leases)
• Doors and door furniture within the property

What the Housing Association Covers

The housing association (as landlord) retains responsibility for the structure and exterior of the building. In a flat, this typically includes:

• The roof and external walls
• Foundations and structural elements
• Communal areas — lifts, stairwells, entrance halls
• Communal services — main drains serving multiple units, communal heating plant
• External windows and doors where the building is a block (lease-dependent)

In a shared ownership house, the housing association's structural responsibilities are similar but the boundary between internal and structural is more frequently disputed — particularly for issues like subsidence or roof defects on a mid-terrace.

The First Ten Years: Defect Period

If the shared ownership property is a new build — common in London's regeneration schemes — it will typically be covered by an NHBC Buildmark warranty or equivalent for ten years. During the first two years (the defects liability period), the developer is obliged to rectify defects at no cost. After that, the warranty covers major structural defects only. Owners should report defects to the housing association, who manages the warranty relationship with the developer.

Service Charge and the Freeholder

In a leasehold flat, there is usually a freeholder (which may or may not be the housing association) who manages the building under a head lease. The service charge paid by the shared owner covers building insurance, communal repairs, and building maintenance managed by the freeholder's managing agent.

If a major repair is needed — external cladding, roof replacement, lift overhaul — the freeholder commissions the work and recoups the cost through a service charge or a separate major works notice under Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Shared owners have the same rights as full leaseholders to challenge unreasonable service charges at the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).

Practical Implications

Shared owners should budget for repairs as a homeowner would, not as a tenant. Building in a maintenance reserve of 1–1.5% of the property value annually is standard financial advice. For a London shared ownership flat valued at £350,000, that means setting aside £3,500–£5,250 per year for maintenance and unexpected repairs, regardless of the ownership percentage held.