1. Welcome to your home
The lease which you have signed when purchasing, or which you will be required to sign should you decide to purchase your home, provides details of the roles and the rights and responsibilities of the council as landlord and also those of you, the leaseholder. It is important that you understand the commitment you are making when you purchase your leasehold property.
Services
You are responsible for getting your gas, electricity and water supplies connected, and paying your bills from the date you move in. Gas and electricity supplies are usually connected. If they are not, you will have to contact the suppliers to get them connected so they are ready to use when you move in.
If your water supply is not turned on, you will need to find the stopcock. This is usually found under your kitchen sink. In a block of flats, you may sometimes find the stopcock located in the communal hallway. If this is the case, it is a good idea to clearly label which mains stopcock services your property so that you can find it quickly in an emergency.
Council Tax
You should contact the Council Tax section to arrange your Council Tax.
Paying your charges
You will be responsible for paying the ground rent, buildings insurance (Arun District Council arranges this) and service charges from the date of completion. Your solicitor should have explained your lease to you and what expenditure you will be responsible for. If you are not sure what you should pay and when, please contact us for assistance. It is important that you do not allow your account to fall into arrears as you will be in breach of the terms of your lease.