Council leaseholder repairs

You can report a repair in the following way:

For any urgent repairs please call the customer contact centre on 0208 547 5003. 

Report Your Repair Online

The Royal Borough of Kingston’s responsibilities

The Council is responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the structure, exterior and shared parts in a block of flats. You are then liable for your share of the cost of any such work via your service charges.

These are often referred to as communal repairs and maintenance. Depending upon the design of the building and the nature of its construction, the works and services necessary may include:

• exterior walls
• roof
• foundations
• timbers and joists
• beams
• chimney stacks
• rainwater and soil pipes
• sewers and drains
• gas, water and electricity pipes up to the flat
• district heating
• lifts
• external decoration
• internal communal areas such as stairs, landings etc.
• communal windows and doors (to stairways etc.).

Please note this is not an exhaustive list.

Leaseholders’ responsibilities

In addition to the obligation to pay for their share of the cost of communal repairs undertaken by the Council, leaseholders are responsible for repairs inside their own flats.

These can include but are not limited to:

• fittings such as kitchen units and sinks
• floorboards
• internal non-structural walls
• plaster or other surface materials on interior walls and ceilings
• internal doors and door frames
• toilets, baths and showers
• radiators, cisterns, tanks, boilers and pipes used exclusively within the flat
• gas, water and electricity installations exclusive to the flat
• fixtures, fittings and internal decorations
• responsibility for any leaks or burst pipes, including damage caused to other property as a consequence
• preventing condensation by keeping your rooms at an even temperature and ventilating your rooms well.

Window repairs

For the majority of leases the Council is usually responsible for maintaining windows and doors serving individual flats.

Heating repairs and maintenance

Access to any communal service area and electrical/gas/water supply service is restricted to council’s maintenance contractor and authorised staff. Kingston Council maintains heating and hot water services within leaseholders’ flats and maisonettes where leases were granted before January 1988.

Please make sure you know where the stop-cock is for turning off the main water supply to your property. If your water supply is cut off for any reason, turn off all the taps and keep sinks and baths unplugged. This will prevent any flooding when the water supply is restored. The stop cock is usually located inside your property and near to where the mains supply enters the property. 

If your lease was granted before January 1988 you may ask for a deed of variation to your lease that will enable you to look after your own heating and hot water services.

A request for a deed of variation should be sent to:

Business Support (Housing)

Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames

3rd Floor Guildhall 2

Kingston upon Thames

KT1 1EU

Email to business.supporthcl@kingston.gov.uk

In January 1988, Kingston Council introduced new leases requiring leaseholders to maintain their own heating and hot water services.