Shared ownership window repairs

milkyboy

Hello all,

Was hoping for a little advice as my housing association are being an absolute shambles.
I’ve been living in a shared ownership flat for the last year and a half managed by L&Q. Since moving in I noticed the windows (sash spring) were in need of a repair. The paint was coming off and some of my sash windows are wedged up in place to stay up! I was told that cyclical work would be done and has finally commenced last week.
After asking the maintainence company about my sash repairs they said they would only repair cord sashes not spring sashes and I’d have to contact L&Q about a separate repair, which I was obviously angry about having waited so patiently.

I made the repair request and L&Q are saying they will only repair external things so it’s my responsibility. At this point I’m struggling to see how a window is classed as internal. Having spoken to another tenant on the ground floor she confirmed she had three spring sashes replaced by them last year.

Now to add insult to injury, yesterday the workmen carrying out the painting seem to have opened my bedroom window (the top sash) and it’s been left open by around 5 inches and it’s firmly jammed in place, I can’t move it with all my strength. So the repairs on the external of the window has somehow damaged the internal (by their definition) windows.

Does anyone know where I stand on this or know of any body I could contact to help?

Thanks all

eddddy

You need to read your lease to see if it's the leaseholder (you) or the freeholder (essentially L&Q) who's responsible for repairing and maintaining windows.

Often with leasehold properties, it's the leaseholder (you).

As you have shared ownership, you also need to read the lease to see if you have to pay 100% of the maintenance/repair costs, or just a share of it (e.g. if you only own 50% of the lease, are you only responsible for 50% of the cost of maintaining/repairing the windows?)


On the question of sash corded windows vs sash spring windows, I've seen examples of leases where the Freeholder will maintain original fittings (e.g. sash corded windows), but if the leaseholder replaces them (e.g. with sash spring windows), the freeholder is no longer responsible. Could that be the case here?


If a contractor has forced your window and it's stuck, realistically the first step is to tell the contractor to 'un-stick' it.

HampshireH

It is very dependent on the lease. I have managed a s.20 process for full window and door replacements on an estate of shared ownership houses and flats.

The responsibility was that of the HA but the cost that of the shared owners.

That was that specific contract.
Yours may differ.