Repairs and Maintenance
Repairs and Maintenance
Submit your repair request:
Submit your repair request:
Shared Ownership is different from private renting and historically, it has been typical for Shared Owners to be responsible for general repairs and the upkeep of their property.
However, since 2021, new Shared Ownership leases have been introduced which contain an ‘Initial Repair Period’ where Heylo as the landlord will be responsible for the cost of some repairs.This is not applicable to all properties bought under the Shared Ownership programme and will depend on the specific lease type you have for your property.
An initial repair period only applies if you own less than a 100% share of your home. After the period ends, all repairs are your responsibility. Some repair costs may be covered by the building warranty or another guarantee.
How can you find out what your rights and responsibilities are?
To understand your rights and responsibilities when it comes to repairs and maintenance of your home, you should refer to the details of your lease This will confirm your rights and responsibilities.
If you cannot find a copy of your lease document you can request a copy of your lease from the solicitor you used when you purchased your home, or you can request a copy from Heylo.
If you’re still unsure about anything to do with repairs and maintenance of your Shared Ownership home please contact the Customer Care team:
Repairs included during the initial repair period
During the initial repair period, Heylo is responsible for the cost of:
- essential repairs to the outside of the building
- essential structural repairs to walls, floors, ceiling and stairs inside your home
During this period you can also claim up to £500 a year from Heylo to cover repairing, replacing (if faulty) and maintaining fixtures and fittings that:
- supply water, gas or electricity - for example sinks, baths or pipes
- heat your home, for example a boiler or radiator
Repairs not included during the initial repair period
Repairs not included during the initial repair period
During the initial repair period, Heylo is not responsible for the cost of:
- installing other fixtures (such as kitchen cabinets) and fittings (such as a bed or sofa)
- installing appliances that use your gas, electricity or water supplies, such as ovens or washing machines
- repairs covered by the building warranty or any other guarantee
- normal cyclical health and safety requirements (for example annual gas servicing or electrical testing)
- decoration works
- improvement works
- any works required as a result of any breach of your obligations under the terms of the Lease
If you break the terms of your lease, Heylo will not pay for repairs we are responsible for as detailed above. For example, if you:
cause damage on purpose
do not arrange routine servicing and maintenance, such as regular boiler servicing
If the repairs are covered by the building warranty or another guarantee, check the warranty or guarantee documents to find out how to claim for the repairs.
View a copy of our repairs and maintenance policy here:
Boilers - warranties and annual servicing
You must get your boiler serviced every year by an engineer on the Gas Safe Register - both during and after the initial repair period.
If you do not service your boiler annually, the warranty for the boiler may be void and you will have to cover the cost of any repairs required.
If your home needs essential repairs during the initial repair period
If you require a repair that is covered by the Initial Repairs Period you will first need to send all the details to Heylo for review, before instructing a contractor to carry out any works.
All repair issues can be submitted using this link:
We will then review your request and confirm if it is covered by the initial repairs period.
Before submitting a request, please ensure
The repairs are not covered by the builder's initial defects period.
The repairs are not covered by the building warranty or other guarantee
The repairs are not covered by the building insurance policy
All required annual servicing has been completed
We will require confirmation and proof of the above to be submitted with any claim.
Once your initial request has been approved as covered under the initial repairs period, you will need to arrange the repairs yourself. You must use a Trustmark-approved tradesperson or professional. You can find a local tradesperson on the Trustmark website:
Once completed, you can submit a claim for reimbursement of the costs under the repairs allowance.
You will need to provide proof of the works completed, including photographs, along with an invoice. We may request access to the property if necessary for us to assess whether the works meet the definition of Qualifying General Repairs and Maintenance Works.
You can claim up to £500 per year and any costs above this amount will need to be covered by you.
What if I don’t claim the full allowance each year?
If you do not claim the full repairs allowance in one year, a maximum of one year’s allowance will roll over to the following year.
If you do not claim the full repairs allowance in one year, a maximum of one year’s allowance will roll over to the following year.
| Repairs allowance | Allowance claimed for repairs | Amount rolled over to next year | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | £500 | £0 | £500 |
| Year 2 | £1,000 (£500 + £500) | £750 | £250 |
| Year 3 | £750 (£500 + £250) | £0 | £500 |
Submit your repair request:
Submit your repair request:
Repairs and Maintenance
Frequently Asked Questions
When was I informed of my rights and responsibilities when it comes to repairs and maintenance of my property?
How do I know if Heylo shares responsibility for repairs and maintenance of my home?
I can’t find a copy of my lease document. What should I do?
Do you have a repairs policy?
It looks like Heylo does share responsibility for repairs and maintenance of my home, what does this cover?
During the initial repair period, Heylo is responsible for the cost of:
essential repairs to the outside of the building
essential structural repairs to walls, floors, ceiling and stairs inside your home
During this period you can also claim up to £500 a year from Heylo to cover repairing, replacing (if faulty) and maintaining fixtures and fittings that:
supply water, gas or electricity - for example sinks, baths or pipes
heat your home, for example a boiler or radiator
I bought my home through Heylo’s Home Reach Shared Ownership scheme and I am responsible for all repairs and maintenance for my property, what do I need to consider?
While you are responsible for repairs and maintenance of your home, as you purchased a brand new home you will usually have a 2 year housebuilder warranty. Under this warranty it is the housebuilders responsibility to fix any defects / snags that you report to them. You must do this within first 2 years of occupying the property and please note some defects will not be covered (for example, very small areas of shrinkage).
In addition to the 2 year housebuilder warranty, you will also usually have a 10 year warranty, usually provided by either The National House Building Council (NHBC), or The Local Authority Building Control (LABC). This warranty provides you with cover for structural defects that may appear.
I bought my home through Heylo’s Your Home Gradual Homeownership scheme. What are my rights and responsibilities when it comes to repairs and maintenance of my home?
If you purchased your home via Heylo’s Your Home scheme then you will be responsible for all repairs to your home and for the maintenance of your home.
If you purchased your home after July 2023 then it’s likely you will have been asked to complete a RICS Level 2 Homebuyers Report prior to exchange of contract.
We ask customers to organize this report prior to purchase so they are fully aware of any immediate repairs needed to the property they are looking to buy.
I am fully responsible for repairs and maintenance of my home but I have recently become disabled and required aids and adaptations to my home. Is there any support from Heylo available?
If you need to adapt your home because of a disability or old age, you can apply to the council for equipment or help. This is not something Heylo are able to provide.
You can find your local council by using the Government website -
www.gov.uk/apply-home-equipment-for-disabled
Can I switch lease type so that Heylo’s shares responsibility for my repairs and maintenance to my home?
Unfortunately, you cannot change lease. The lease you signed prior to completing on your home is the lease that remains in effect until you staircase to full ownership or sell your home.
What can I do if Heylo rejects my claim?
After we have received all the information supporting your claim we will review your claim and if we reject your claim request we will provide you with the reasons why within 7 days.
What should I do if I am unhappy with the customer service I have received from Heylo while trying to log a repair, or with quality of workmanship relating to a repair organized by Heylo?
It is highly regrettable whenever we hear about Heylo customers being unhappy with the service we, or any partner we work with and if you are unhappy with the service you have received from us, or any company we partner with to deliver our services, we strongly encourage you to make a formal complaint so that we can investigate the issues.
For more information on making a complaint, please click link below.
How many times can I claim per year?
There is no limit on the number of claims that you can submit in any one year provided the aggregate value of the claims does not exceed the General Repairs and Maintenance Allowance available for that particular year.
What if further works are required or there is an issue with the repair?
Any costs you incur for any general repairs and maintenance remain your responsibility. The acceptance of a claim by Heylo is an agreement to make a contribution towards your costs up to the maximum available allowance and is not an acceptance by Heylo of liability for the works required or carried out.
If there are issues with a previous repair you should contact the tradesperson who carried out the works.
Can i make home improvements to my property and who will cover this cost?
You can paint, decorate and refurbish a shared ownership home, for example replace a kitchen or bathroom – Heylo is not responsible for this.
You might need written permission from us to make structural changes so before carrying out any works, please contact us and we will let you know what information we need or whether you require our approval.
Who is responsible for repairs and maintenance for communal areas of my apartment block or housing estate?
The Managing Agent or Estate Management Company are responsible for any repairs and ongoing maintenance of communal areas in your apartment block and/or on your housing development. This will include fire risk assessments and lift maintenance.
If should report any maintenance or repairs required to communal areas of your apartment block and/or housing development to the appointed Managing Agent in the first instance. If you do not get a response for them within the timeframe they provide you with then you should let Heylo know so we can prompt them to respond to you.
Submit your repair request:
Submit your repair request:
