Garage repairs and leaseholders

[Chickadee]

First of sorry if this is in the wrong section!

I live in a flat, one of 24 in 2 blocks. All repair work costs are shared by all flats, ie new roof, external and internal decoration, gardening etc. Fair enough.

At the rear of the properties are three garage blocks. One owner (he owns two flats that he rents out) has let his garages (2) fall into disrepair. If these aren't repaired it could cause damage to the remaining garages in that block.

Anyway, my question is, would this cost have to be shared by all leaseholders?

[redman41]

It depends on what is asked of you in your Tenancy Agreement. If it does not mention the Garages in your Agreement then I don't see why you should be asked to fork out money for repairs.

[Chickadee]

Thanks for your reply.

We are actually leaseholders. Basically, the main bit (I don't really understand leases) says - repairs, replacements and renewals of the garages are the responsibility of the lessee's.

Which is fair enough but the owner of these garages has just let them fall into disrepair ignoring all calls to have them repaired.

How do we stand in this case?

[redman41]

If there is a Garage for every Leaseholder then you should only be responsible for the one allocated to you.
Making you pay for the negligence of others does not seem right, and if I were you I would seek free Legal advice from CAB Solicitor.

[boxtops]

I've lived in a leasehold flat and someone - managing agents? - will own the freehold and there should be terms and conditions about who is responsible for what. I was a freeholder once owning a flat in a block and the other owners were leasehold, and we all had written documentation as to what was each of our responsibiltiies. There must be something in documentaton when you bougth the flat, saying who pays for and/or contributes to what, and who arranges it (for instance there is usually buildings insurance arranged for the block and everyone pays a portion of the premium). This is how it worked for me in England, I know it can be different in other parts of the UK or elsewhere.

[Chickadee]

Thanks for all of your replies.

I must confess to being very confused (and angry!!) about this. From what I understand in the lease, we own half the shared wall on either side and the rear of our garage.

Any repairs are to be paid for by us, but is that just for our garage or everybodies?!

I think I shall have to take a trip to CAB next week.

[bushbaby_de]

The freeholder will most likely have provisions to force leaseholders to carry out works so that no other leaseholder suffers as a result of their negligence - I'd have a word with them.