Information for leaseholders

If you buy a flat or maisonette from us, you will have to pay a charge to cover the services that we provide.

This payment covers work that we must carry out. This work includes:

  • repairs
  • cleaning of communal areas
  • maintenance of communal gardens
  • buildings insurance
  • ground rent of £10 per annum for all flat sales

The service charge for multi storey flats or flats with communal access will likely include costs for:

  • carrying out repairs and maintaining lighting in areas that all residents share
  • caretaker / concierge services
  • maintenance of lifts

Paying your service charge

You will normally pay your service charge annually, but you may have to pay monthly, quarterly or half-yearly.

You will also have to pay towards any planned maintenance and improvement schemes that your home may be included in. This will be on top of your service charge.

There are a number of ways to pay your service charges.

Paying your leasehold service charges online is one of the quickest and safest ways to pay.

Pay your leasehold service charges online - all you need to make a payment is a valid debit/credit card and your 19 digit purple leasehold service charges payment card reference number.

If you experience any problem when making payment let us know by sending an email, please include as much information and one of the team will get back to you (Mon – Fri)

If you make regular payments online you also have the option to set up an automatic recurring card payment schedule.
  
You can choose to schedule weekly, fortnightly, 4 weekly, monthly, quarterly or annual payments.
  
To set up a recurring card payment schedule simply visit ‘My Payment Schedules’ once you have registered online.

From here you can set-up or cancel your recurring card payment schedules.

*Please note that payment will continue to be made until you cancel the payment schedule.

**In the event of insufficient funds on the selected date payment may be processed up to 2 days after the scheduled payment date.  There will be no charge incurred for failed payment attempts.

If you experience any issues when setting up recurring card payment schedule let us know by sending a message and one of the team will get back to you (Mon – Fri).

Paying your Leasehold Service Charges on the go is easy with our payment app.

The app can be downloaded free from the Apple App store or Google Play.
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All you need to make payment on your mobile device is your 19 digit purple leasehold service charges and a valid bank card.

Once you have registered you will be able to make payment at the touch of a button 24hrs a day, 7 days a week on your mobile device.

You will also have access to a unique bar code that allows you to make cash payment at in any store displaying the PayPoint logo.
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This is your new digital payment card.

You can also make payment without registering on the app (you will not then receive the unique barcode or your payment history).

The app also gives you access to your payment history.

You can call our secure automated telephone payment service on 03303 903 048 (lo-call rate) 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

All you need to make a payment your 19 digit purple leasehold service charges and a valid bank card.

If you are registered for online payments you will receive an email receipt to the email address linked to your 19 digit payment card.

With over 27,000 locations across the UK, and more than 450 locations in Northern Ireland, you are never too far from a PayPoint store to make a payment using your purple leasehold service charges payment card. 

Just look out for the PayPoint logo at your local retail store. PayPoint logo

Details of PayPoint outlets can be found by contacting your local office or by using PayPoint locator.

Please keep receipts as proof of payment.

You can make a one-off payment or set up a standing order via your online banking provider.

Payment can be made to The Housing Executive using the account details below:

Account Name:         Northern Ireland Housing Executive
Sort Code:                 950121
Account Number:     01121235
 
You must quote your leasehold reference number that begins with '2' - for example 2000****0*.  
If you do not quote this it will result in the payment not reaching your account.

Buildings insurance

You may need to make a claim for damage to the structure of the building that your flat is in. You can get more information from this leaflet.

Extending your Flat Leasehold Term

If you are a leaseholder of a former Housing Executive flat, it is now possible for you to apply to the Housing Executive to purchase an extension to the length of your lease term.  A lease extension will give you a new lease term of 125 years. There is no limit to the number of times you can apply to extend your lease during your leasehold term.  

Equity Sharing Leaseholders are not eligible to apply for a lease term extension until they have purchased 100% equity of their flat.

To be eligible for a lease extension: 

1. You must be the current full registered owner of the flat. If there is more than one Leaseholder then all leaseholders must be included in the application. 

2. You must not be in breach of any leaseholder covenants and conditions contained in your existing lease.  However, your leasehold extension application may still be accepted if:

    a) the breach is minor and the Housing Executive decides that it is not appropriate or reasonable in the particular circumstances for it to take any action to enforce the breach of the existing Lease; 

    b) you owe the Housing Executive service charges or any other monies payable under your existing Lease. However all service charges and other monies must be paid in full before the leasehold extension is granted.

3. Your flat must not be affected by any Housing Executive strategy or plan which would mean it is inappropriate for the Housing Executive to grant an extension to your existing lease term.

How much will it cost?
You will be required to pay a premium to the Housing Executive for granting a lease extension.  The amount you will have to pay will depend on the term remaining on your current lease and the market value of your flat with a new lease term of 125 years.  

A minimum premium of £2,500 will apply in all cases.

In addition to the premium, you will be required to cover all other expenses you incur for obtaining a leasehold extension. This is likely to include, but may not be restricted to, your own solicitors fees, costs and outlays and Land Registry fees.

You may incur some of these costs even if, for whatever reason, your application is not approved or a leasehold extension is not granted.

We advise that you discuss the full cost of the leasehold extension when instructing your solicitor before deciding if you wish to proceed.

To find out more about how to extend your lease please read Extending your Flat Leasehold Term - a guide for Leaseholders.

If you would like to apply for a lease extension, an application form is available below.

Our Leasehold Extension Premium Calculator provides an estimate of how much you might need to pay for a lease extension.

Useful contacts

Leasehold Unit

The Housing Centre, 2 Adelaide Street, Belfast BT2 8PB

Tel: 03448 920 900

Email: central.leaseholdunit@nihe.gov.uk

The Housing Executive Leasehold Unit will deal with queries in relation to your Service Charge Accounts. Staff in this unit are responsible for the collection and billing of the Service Charges.

Local Area Office

Tel: 03448 920 900

Your local area office will deal with the Housing management of your Premises which your sold Flat is situated in. This will include repairs and services and will include planned scheme/ improvement works.

Housing Executive Repairs Line

Tel: 03448 920 901

To report a repair to the communal areas of your Flat you should call the above number.


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