Information for leaseholders

A leaseholder is someone who owns a property on a lease which will run for a set period, usually 99,125 or 990 years.

Citizen leaseholders will hold a lease with their landlord, which will be us. This is a legal contract that outlines their rights and responsibilities alongside the services you can expect us to provide you with.

If you’re a leaseholder and a shared owner, it means you own part of your home and pay rent to us on the remainder. Shared owners have the same responsibilities as other leaseholders. This will be explained in your lease. Find out more about shared owners. 

As a leaseholder, you’re responsible for repairs and maintenance inside your home, but if you want to make bigger changes to your home or do anything structural, get in touch with us first via My Account.

We’re responsible for keeping the structure and exterior of your home in good condition and managing the building and estate your home is in. If we need to carry out major repairs, you’ll contribute to the cost through your service charge.

It’s normal to have some condensation in your home, particularly on your windows, ceilings or walls, and especially in colder weather or winter time.

However, excessive condensation can be a problem. If it’s not managed, it can lead to mould and other problems in your home.

• Find out more about preventing condensation, damp and mould

We always recommend checking your lease first, as responsibilities can vary.

In many older leases, we are usually responsible for the window frames, while you as the leaseholder are responsible for the glass.

If the lease is silent or unclear, and the window forms part of the external wall, the responsibility will generally sit with us. In most cases, even where we arrange the replacement, the cost can be recharged to you, the leaseholder.

We’ll always explain this clearly and check the lease before any work goes ahead. If you’d like us to look at your lease with you or talk this through, we’re here to help.

We always need to check the lease first. In many cases, the lease is “silent”, which means it doesn’t clearly say who is responsible.

Where this has been disputed in court, case law has helped clarify responsibilities:

• If the door is on an external wall, it’s classed as part of the building’s structure. This means it’s usually our responsibility to manage the work. However, the full cost would be recharged to you.

• If the door is on an internal wall, such as one leading onto a communal corridor, it’s the responsibility of you, the leaseholder.
  
  

If you’re unsure which applies to your home, we’re happy to look at this with you and explain the next steps.

Most Citizen customers have to pay a service charge, which covers the costs of maintaining their building, grounds and estate. It can include gardening, cleaning, refurbishments to lifts and car parks and cleaning communal areas. It also includes building insurance.

The amount you pay will change each year and depends on the type of home you live in and where you live. You can check this in your lease.

●    Find out more on our Service charge page

If you’re not sure how long is left on your lease, it’s worth checking – especially if you’re thinking about selling your home.

The Leasehold Advisory Service offers a quick and easy online tool to check your lease length. You’ll need to enter your email address, but it only takes a few minutes. Use the Leasehold Advisory Service lease length checker to see how many years remain on your lease.

Most leases start at 99 or 125 years. Shared ownership homes built under the Affordable Homes Programme from April 2021 are different and usually have leases of 990 years.

As a lease gets shorter, its value can reduce and the cost to extend it can increase. While we can’t give financial advice, there’s lots of free, independent support available. You might find this Money Saving Expert guide to extending your lease helpful.

The lease length checker also includes clear information about extending your lease if you need it. We’re here to help if you’d like to know more.

Following a successful insurance tender, Protector Insurance became your new buildings insurer from 1 April 2025.

You should already have received a letter confirming your premium for 2025/26, along with a summary of what your cover includes.

Lower premiums and reduced excess

We’re pleased to share some positive news.

On average, premiums have reduced by around 40%, and the excess for escape of water claims has also dropped from £500 to £350. This means you’ll be less out of pocket if you ever need to make a claim.

When you receive your actual accounts as a leaseholder for the year ending 31 March 2026, you’ll also see a credit applied to the buildings insurance element of your service charge.

These savings are based on an average, so individual property premiums may vary slightly.

If you need to make a claim, you can contact Protector Insurance:

• Phone: 0161 274 9077 (Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm)
• Email: claims@protectorinsurance.co.uk
• Website: Protector Insurance

While buildings insurance covers the structure of your home, it doesn’t protect your personal belongings. That’s where contents insurance comes in.

Thistle Tenant Risks offers the My Home Contents Insurance Scheme, which can help cover your belongings against events like theft, fire, water damage, and other common household risks.

Find out more about contents insurance.

If you’d like some guidance, our Advice Team is always happy to help. You can reach them by calling 0300 790 6555.

If you’re considering subletting, the first step is to check your lease because not all leases allow it.

Here’s a quick guide:

• Some leases are “silent” – they don’t mention subletting, which usually means you can sublet.

• Written permission may be required – if your lease allows subletting, you might need our approval first.

• Restrictions may apply – some leases only allow subletting to a single family, not multiple unrelated people.

• No subletting allowed? – if your lease doesn’t permit it, we cannot give permission.
  
  

Things to keep in mind:

• Legal responsibilities – when you sublet, you become a landlord and must follow all legal obligations.

• Mortgage holders – you’ll need your lender’s permission.

• HMO rules – if you’re subletting as a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO), a licence from your local authority is required.

• Serious consequences – subletting without permission is a breach of your lease and could put your home at risk.
  
  

Always make sure you fully understand your lease and obligations before subletting.

You may live in a house with your own driveway and want to put in an electric vehicle charging point. We support this installation where it’s safe to do so.

Before installing a charger:

• Check your lease – permission is usually required for alterations

• In most cases, we can give consent where it’s safe

• Some leases may need a variation of lease, which will involve legal costs you’ll need to cover

If your home has communal or street parking, installing a charger may not currently be possible, but we’re working to find solutions.

Email us with your permission request. 

Your home might have an internal fire door, which is designed to keep smoke and flames contained in one room if there’s a fire. These are heavier than normal doors and might close automatically. You should never remove, disable or prop open a fire door.

All new homes come with smoke alarms already installed. Remember to test your alarm regularly by pushing the test button and make sure it’s working properly.

If you think something’s wrong with your smoke alarm or you notice a fault, get in touch with us immediately so we can get it fixed. You can contact us through My Account or phone us on 0300 790 6555.

If you own your home on a lease, you’re a leaseholder for a fixed period of time. During your lease, you may want independent advice on things like service charges, fire safety, or your rights and responsibilities.

The Leasehold Advisory Service is a government-funded, independent service offering free support and guidance to leaseholders. They provide clear online guides and 15-minute advice appointments.

Learn more and get independent advice.