Wiltshire Council Housing Leaseholders Handbook

The council currently has more than 450 leaseholders resulting from Right to Buy purchases of council-owned flats. Upon purchase a lease of 125 years is granted. During this period the council, as landlord, remains responsible for the management, maintenance and up-keep of the main structure of the building, of which, the flats may form a part along with any communal and estate areas. The rights and responsibilities of the landlord and leaseholder are contained within the terms of the lease. They are also defined under legislation, namely:

• Housing Act 1985 (as amended)
• Landlord and Tenant Act 1987
• Housing and Leasehold Services Urban Development Act 1993
• Housing Act 1996
• Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002

This handbook gives you information about your lease and how we, as landlord, manage the building in which you live. It has been written to help you understand what being a leaseholder means. If you have any questions that we have not covered in this handbook, you can contact the leasehold & sales team for advice.

The handbook is only a summary of the broad terms of your lease, and does not replace your lease or any other legal agreements (including a mortgage deed). You should not rely on it if any difficulty or dispute arises in connection with your lease. If this happens, you should get independent advice from a solicitor, law centre or Citizens Advice Bureau.

Our policies and procedures will change from time to time, as does the law. We will update the handbook when there are changes that affect the service.