Hi, i know i should dig up and look at the contract but i won the top maisonette flat and neighbours own bottom and we have had a leaky roof which needs fixing and renovating. The flats are share of freehold and we have always shared maintenance of the outside of the house but who does the roof belong to? Is it my responsibility as its leaking into our apartment or does the neighbour need to share costs of fixing? Its the old part of the roof, we also have the extension.
usually all contrbute Check lease
If there is a freeholder, then its usually their responsibility and they will bill the leaseholders equally for the work if that’s what your lease says.
Very simple. Share of freehold = share of cost.
You own rights to the property and a share of the freehold property.
It would be very unusual to have responsibly for the roof on your own.
Also check the freehold as your ceiling should be covered too .
Remember though if you have to make an insurance claim your annual premium will rise so depending on the costs it may be better to work directly with the repairing company.
Now go and look at your Freehold before contacting your neighbour
In share of freehold, in almost all cases with very few exceptions, any repairs to anything that is considered part of the structure of the property, like the roof, is split between all shareholders. As yours is a maisonette, this is likely to be equally with other shareholders. In blocks of flats, this is often based on square footage of each property and as a specified percentage in the lease. Read your lease.
Usually unless it specifically states you own the loft space all freeholders share anything to do with the actual structure of the house which includes the roof. We own the freehold of ground floor and another holds tge freehold of the top. Its written in the deeds that all parties are liable. If any mainenance issues on a leasehold on the structue which the roof is a part of then all parties are usually required to pay a monthly maintenance fee and and any major work ie tge roof is split by all the leaseholders.
For goodness sake READ the Flaming Lease! That’s what it is there for.