Planned maintenance and major works for homeowners
As part of your lease, emh may be responsible for maintaining certain parts of your building or shared areas. This includes regular decoration and essential upkeep to keep your home and communal spaces safe, well‑maintained, and in good condition.
These works are known as cyclical maintenance, and the costs are recovered through your service charge. Your lease outlines what applies to your home, so please refer to it for specific details.
Below you’ll find a clear breakdown of how cyclical maintenance works, how major works are consulted on, and how sinking funds help manage the cost of large repairs.
If your lease states that we're responsible for external or upkeep of shared areas, cyclical maintenance may include:
- Painting shared stairways
- Replacing flooring in communal areas
- Repainting external brickwork
- Repairing or replacing gutters and rainwater pipes
- Painting external windows and doors
- Repairing roofing issues
- Fixing boundary fences
- Gas servicing and electrical testing (lease‑dependent)
These works help protect the building and prevent more costly issues later.
Please check your lease for specific responsibilities. Some homeowner leases include additional services — such as gas servicing or electrical testing — where a separate written agreement is in place.
By law, we must consult you if planned works will cost more than £250 per household, unless the work is an emergency.
We follow a structured consultation process:
1. Notice of Intention
You’ll receive a formal notice explaining:
• The type of work planned
• Why it is needed
• That the work is expected to begin soon.
You’ll have 30 days to send us your comments.
2. Considering your feedback
We’ll reply to your comments within 21 days and send a summary of all feedback to every affected homeowner at the next consultation stage.
3. Preparing the specification
After the 30‑day period, a surveyor will produce a detailed specification of the work.
We’ll then invite quotes from:
• At least three approved contractors
• Any contractors you suggest.
4. Awarding the contract
Once the contract is awarded:
• A pre‑contract meeting is held
• A start date is agreed
• The contractor or surveyor will write to you at least 14 days before work begins, including their contact details.
5. How the works are paid for
If a sinking fund exists, the cost of the work may be fully or partly covered. If the fund does not cover the total cost, the remaining amount will be charged through your service charge.
We’ll give an estimate of likely costs during the consultation process.
Where emh is responsible for these works, the cost is passed on through your service charge, as set out in your lease.
Some emh leases include a sinking fund, which works like a savings pot to pay for major repairs to:
- The building’s external structure
- Communal areas
- Shared external spaces (where applicable).
The sinking fund helps spread the cost fairly and avoids unexpected large bills for individual homeowners.
How the sinking fund works
- Contributions are collected through your service charge.
- Funds earn interest and are taxed like a standard savings account.
- The fund is reviewed annually based on work needed and the amount saved.
When repairs cost more than the fund
If an unplanned repair is required and the sinking fund doesn't cover the full cost:
- The balance must be paid within 30 days, or
- a payment plan can be arranged (subject to an income and expenditure assessment).
Payment on resale
Depending on your lease, a sinking fund payment may be calculated as a percentage of your property’s sale price.