Repairs
Like most things you buy, homes can develop faults. So eventually something may need repairing or replacing in your home. For most things, you are responsible for any repairs and maintenance as the homeowner, but there are a few exceptions.
- New-build homes usually have a defect period of around 12 months starting from when construction ended, not when you got the keys. This means that the builders are responsible for any defects during this period. Your developer should have given you a handbook detailing your defect period and warranties.
- If you took out new build warranty insurance, this usually stays in place for ten years, so it's worth double checking what this covers.
- If you bought your shared ownership home after 1 April 2024, there may be extra help available towards the cost of repairs to your home.
Click here if you bought your home after 1 April 2024
Decorating and DIY
One of the most exciting things about owning your own home, is being able to decorate how you want. While we're your housing association, you have different options than our other tenants and you don't need to ask for our approval to hang that wallpaper with cats on or paint every room a different colour of the rainbow.
It is recommended to wait 12 months after moving into a new build before you start decorating. This is because new building materials need time to dry out and settle, and it takes between six and 12 months for this to happen. During this time walls may shrink and expand which can cause hairline cracks. This is completely normal and nothing to be concerned about, but it does mean it's best to leave hanging that cat-printed wallpaper until after a year.
Structural changes
Structural changes are not permitted on a shared ownership property under the terms of the lease.
