Cyclical Works & Major Repairs

What are planned major works?   

Between 2003 and 2012 we carried out refurbishment works to bring all the homes we manage to the "availability standard" set by Islington Council. The refurbishment and improvement works were carried out by United House who are part of the Partners team. They included items such as roof, windows, damp works and external painting and decorating.

For the remainder of our contract we will carry out cyclical decoration and repairs to buildings every 5-7 years  as well as carry out large renewal, repair and maintenance jobs as they are required. This may include work to external brickwork, the roof, communal windows and internal decorations. Under the terms of your lease, you must contribute towards the cost of this work as a service charge. However, you pay for it in a different way to your normal yearly service charge. You can view the annual provisional programme here. 

When we carry out cyclical decorations, scaffolding will be erected to the front and back of your home to provide access for the external decoration. During this time, the security of your home will be your responsibility. To support you with this, we will advise you to inform your insurers of the scaffolding. From when the scaffold goes up, the whole process takes up to 12 weeks. Please note that once scaffolding is in place no work will take place for 3-4 weeks. During this time a number of surveys will be carried out to understand exactly what works need to be done. Following these surveys, works can commence.

We will paint and decorate the:

• External parts of the building, including all previously painted areas;
• External woodwork, including windows and front and rear entrance doors;
• Railings and gates to the front of the property;
• Previously painted steel staircases to rear gardens;

Consulting you about major works
 
On 31 October 2003, new regulations came into force about consulting leaseholders about major works. The regulations are quite complicated but the main points are: 

• We now have to consult you if the cost of qualifying work to any leaseholder is more than £250. Qualifying works are repairs, maintenance, renewal or improvement works to your building. 
• We have to follow certain procedures for consulting you, as the Council has entered into what is called a ‘qualifying long-term agreement’ with Partners. 
• Because the Council entered into the first PFI contract (Round 1) with Partners before 31st October 2003, we must follow the consultation procedure stated in Schedule 3 to the Service Charges (Consultation Requirements) (England) Regulations 2003. The same rules also apply to our Round 2 contract, since the regulations also cover contracts that were advertised in the Official Journal of the European Communities before 31 October 2003. 

How we consult you before starting major works  
  
Before the work starts, we will send a document called a ‘Schedule 3 Consultation Notice’ to each leaseholder and any recognised tenants’ association.
 
This document will: 

• describe the work to be done
• state why the work is necessary
• contain a statement of the estimated total costs of the proposed work
• invite written comments on the proposed work or the estimated costs (or both) during a 30-day consultation period. 

Partners must take into account any comments it receives about the work, and respond in writing with 21 days of receiving them. 
  
Maximum charges for work to your building
 
Under the PFI contract, the most we can ask you to contribute towards the cost of work to your building, including major works and any day-to-day repair and maintenance, is £10,000 in any five-year period.

Paying your contribution towards major works

Under the terms of your lease, you must pay your share of the cost of major works, in full, within 14 days of the work completing. Because major works costs are usually high we have arranged various payment options to help you manage your major works bill, and to help leaseholders who are struggling financially.
 
Payment options are enclosed with the Schedule 3 Notice that we send you before works start and are again enclosed with your final account and invoice after works are completed. The current options are: 

• Pay in full within 4 weeks of receiving your final account. If you pay in full at this stage, we will reduce your final service-charge account bill by 2.5%.
• Pay over 12 to 36 months by monthly standing order, starting from the date we send you your final account and invoice. 

If you are a Right-to-Buy leaseholder and you are still within the first five years of your lease, we can only charge you the amount stated on your Offer Notice, plus inflation costs (if applicable). If the amount stated on your Offer Notice is a lot less than the cost of the work, we may have to reduce the payment period to 12 months, but we will not do this if you are a pensioner or you are in financial difficulties. 

Find out about payment options for PFI1 residents here.

Leaseholders can register for automated email alerts notifying you when a S20 or Final Account has been posted.

Sign up by emailing [email protected] with your name, address and the email address you’d like us to use.

We’ll record your details and when we post you a S20 or Final Account you’ll get an email telling you it’s on its way. If you don’t receive the item after 10 days, contact us and we’ll issue a replacement.

Service Charge Challenge Procedure

If you have concerns about a bill we have sent you for planned maintenance or major works and you would like us to review it please read this leaflet and contact the Home Ownership Team.

Please contact the Home Ownership Team if you wish to discuss payment options or need more information.

Last updated February 2024