How and when do I need to pay?
Your lease will tell you the frequency with which you need to make service charge payments (please see ‘service charges’ section). You will receive an invoice which gives you 30 days to make payment.
You can make a payment in the following ways:
- pay online (You will need the invoice number from the top right of your invoice, as the reference number
- by freephone payment hotline on 0800 021 7784 (24 hours)
- at selected Post Offices and PayPoint outlets. A list of locations can be found at www.allpay.net/outlets
Can I sell my property?
The property can be sold at any time. However if you purchased the property from the council under the Right to Buy scheme, you may need to repay some or all of the discount you received. Currently, if you sell within five years of purchase you will need to repay a proportion of the discount. This may increase subject to legislation.
The council will be able to give exact details of the amounts repayable.
On completion of the sale the number of years left under your lease will be assigned to the new leaseholder.
Service charge invoices cannot be split if the property is sold part way through the financial year. Whoever is the leaseholder on the 31 March will be responsible for the full year’s costs.
Your solicitor should ensure that this is taken into account when agreeing the details of sale.
When selling your property it is essential that your solicitor obtains a solicitor’s enquiry pack from the council. The pack will provide the following information:
- Details of the last three year’s service charge statements and any outstanding invoices.
- Estimated costs of service charges for the current financial year and for any years where the costs have not been finalised.
- Details of building insurance cover.
- Details of any work carried out to the property within the last three years.
- Details of any work programmed for the current financial year.
- Copy of the leaseholder’s handbook for the new owner.
- Answers to any specific queries raised by the prospective purchaser.
This pack can be obtained from Norwich City Council for an administration fee.
Can I rent my property out?
Your property can be rented out (sub-let) but you will be required to inform the home ownership team and complete the Let Property form giving details of your contact address and telephone number in case of emergencies.
Under the terms of your lease, you cannot use the property for business purposes including as a holiday rental or short-term let such as Airbnb.
Download the Let Property form
You can also request a form from the leasehold team by emailing homeownership@norwich.gov.uk
Even though you have let your property you will still be responsible for:
- ensuring that the person living in your property complies with the terms of your lease
- paying all charges
- complying with all your landlord responsibilities, such as gas and electrical inspections etc.
You may also be able to rent out your property via the council. If you are interested in finding out more about this, then please contact LetNCC, the council’s private sector leasing team on 01603 989444, or email pslt@norwich.gov.uk
Will the council carry out repairs?
As your landlord there are certain repairs and maintenance, which we must carry out to your block. Norwich City Council will use a contractor to do this work for you and you will be recharged via your service charges. See landlord's responsibilities.
Can I make changes to my property?
If you wish to make any changes or alterations (other than internal decorations) to your property you must first apply in writing to the home ownership team for permission. The council will not unreasonably refuse permission.
However, in some cases (eg installation of satellite dishes or replacement windows) planning permission may also be required.
Can I use the loft space
No, the loft space belongs to the council and does not form part of your lease, therefore you are unable to use the loft space. If you need to access the loft space for any reason, please contact the home ownership team to seek permission.
What if I am leaving the property empty?
If you are leaving your flat empty for more than 30 days you must inform the home ownership team as this will have an affect on your insurance cover.
What is a First-tier Tribunal (FtT)?
A First-tier Tribunal (FtT) is a panel of three members; a solicitor, a valuer, and a non-specialist lay person.
They are independent and impartial. An FtT is a type of legal hearing, but is less formal than going to court.
Many people have presented their own case and won. However, it is usually worth getting professional advice before you start.
Disputes can be taken to an FtT by either the leaseholder or the freeholder. Hearings do not always take place at the FtT’s own offices. If they are held in person, they are often held near your home, such as at the local council’s offices and are usually open to the public. Alternatively, they are sometimes held over video call or ‘on paper’ where no in person representation is required. See more about a First-tier Tribunal on Gov.uk
What can an FtT help with?
Most disputes between leaseholders and freeholders can be taken to an FtT. This might include disagreements about:
- insuring the building.
- how much you have to pay in service charges.
- the quality of services provided.
- how much you have to pay to extend your lease.
FtTs can decide whether the amount you have to pay for services or repairs is reasonable. This won’t necessarily be the price you were hoping for, but can be less than the freeholder has asked for. The FtT can’t usually force the freeholder to refund any money you have already paid,or order them to pay your legal costs. If you have problems like these you may need to go to court instead, so get professional advice.
If what your lease says about maintenance, repairs, insurance or service charges is unclear or unfair, the FtT may be able to change it.
How do I make a complaint?
You have the right to expect good service from Norwich City Council and we are keen to make sure that you get it. So if you are unhappy about something we have done, or perhaps not done, please let us know.
The first step is to contact us and tell us about the problem. You can do this by:
- completing the contact us form
- email: listening@norwich.gov.uk,
- phone: 0344 980 3333
- writing to Norwich City Council, City Hall, Norwich, NR2 1NH
If you are still unhappy you may decide to make a complaint.
If the customer contact team is unable to answer a specific question, your complaint will be forwarded to the housing outcomes manager.
Once you have let us know what the complaint is we will try to sort it out quickly and efficiently. If we cannot deal with it straightaway, we will acknowledge your complaint in writing within five working days and make sure you get a full reply from the manager or senior officer, within 10 working days.
Where complaints are complex and information is required for other teams and contractors, it may take us more than 10 days to provide you with a full response, but we will keep you updated throughout the process.
