YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES
As a leaseholder you must:
• Pay your service charges on time
• Keep your boiler and heating system in a safe condition and service your boiler by a Gas Safe registered engineer.
• Use your property only as a private home
• If you live in a flat, keep communal areas clear
• Not engage in anti-social behaviour
Alterations
You must not carry out any major structural alterations to your property without the council’s written permission. For example, you must ask if you want to fit:
• New windows
• Satellite dish
• A new heating system
• Replacement front and back doors
• New kitchen or bathroom
Anti-social behaviour
You must not cause alarm, harassment or distress to another person where this could damage their quality of life or the wellbeing of the wider community. You are responsible for your own behaviour and the behaviour of anyone who lives with or visits you.
Pets
If you own a pet, it must be suitable for your home and lifestyle. You are responsible for your pets and those owned by your visitors, subtenants or lodgers. If they cause damage or a mess, we will charge you for clearing it up, and will take any other action we think is necessary to resolve the problem. You must not keep dog breeds which contravene the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (as amended). We do not permit residents to breed dogs commercially or sell animals from their homes. We advise that you microchip your pets and ensure they wear collars and identification discs at all times. You must not keep more than two dogs per property.
Subletting
If you decide to sublet your home, you are still responsible for your lease or transfer. This includes continuing to pay us your service charges. You are also responsible for the behaviour of your tenant(s).
To ensure your tenant(s) is aware of the conditions of your lease or transfer, you may ask them to sign a tenancy agreement. A solicitor or managing agent will be able to advise you about tenancy agreements.
If you decide to sublet, you must give us your forwarding contact details or those of your managing agent. You should also notify:
• Lambeth Council’s insurance team, who manage the building’s insurance for leaseholders
• Your lender, if you have a mortgage
• Your insurance company. Failure to tell them may mean your contents insurance policy will not pay out – you will not be insured.
Gas safety check
It is important to arrange your annual gas safety check by a Gas Safe registered engineer, if you have gas appliances in your home. Under the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, and the terms of your lease, you have a duty to carry out these checks, and must ensure that your appliances are properly maintained.
For more advice on gas safety while subletting, visit www.lambethliving.org.uk and search for gas safety or contact us on 020 7926 6000.
It is important that you keep your gas safety certificate and give your tenant(s) a copy, as we carry out regular checks.
Running a business from home
If you wish to run a business from your home, you will need our written permission first. We will generally grant permission, unless:
• You intend to carry out your trade or business from a garage, shed or shared area at the property
• Your activities will cause a risk to your or anyone else’s safety
• You will disturb or cause nuisance to your neighbours, or
• Your activities will break the law or planning or environmental health requirements.
We will not normally give permission for businesses or trades that require you to employ staff or install machinery, but we will generally agree to occupations like accounting, freelance writing/journalism or child-minding. We may withdraw our permission if the business or trade causes a nuisance, or you fail to seek planning permission where this is required.
For more about planning and environmental health rules, contact Lambeth Council on 020 7926 1000.
Decorating
Under the lease terms you must decorate the inside of your flat every five years.