When is the financial year? 
The financial year runs from 1^st April to 31^st March. 

When is Ground rent due?
Ground rent is £10 per year and is payable 30 days after receiving the ground rent notice. 

What are estimated service charges? 
Each year we will provide you (in March) with an estimated cost for the services you may receive over the forthcoming financial year.  The estimated service charges may include: repairs, caretaking, grounds maintenance, insurance and management fee.  These are generally calculated using the last known actual costs plus an allowance for inflation.  For example, the estimated charges for 2009/2010 are based on the actual service charge costs for 07/08 and an inflation allowance for 08/09 and 09/10. 

What is an actual adjustment? 
After the end of the financial year we will know the real costs of the services you received and will issue you with an actual service charge adjustment in September.  This will show the actual costs of providing the services you received, the estimated cost you have already been invoiced and the difference between the two amounts.  This can be a debit or credit. 

When are my charges due?
Service charges are due upon invoice.  The estimated service charge is due in April and the actual adjustment is due in October.  If you'd like to spread the cost of your service charge you can do so when paying by standing order or direct debit.  

Payment methods
You can make payments by cheque, standing order, Direct Debit and payment card. A payment card enables you to make a payment wherever you see the PayPoint logo and by phone and by internet with this card.  Please ensure you include your address and reference number on the reverse of any cheques and send it to Home Ownership Team, Phoenix Community Housing, Wren Court, 15 London Road, London, BR1 1DE. 

Repairs
Communal repairs are our responsibility to carry out. To report a communal repair please call landline 0800 0285 700  mobile 0844 264 2844.  Repairs within the property are your responsibility and you should arrange for them to be carried out by competent tradespersons. 

What is cyclical maintenance and major works?
Cyclical maintenance is carried out regularly in a programe and can include internal and external redecorations, structure and fabric repairs and estate works.  It's sometimes necessary to carry out works in addition to the cyclical maintenance.  For example, a roof replacement would be major works and would be carried out as required.  We will carry out consultation with leaseholders where the costs will be in excess of £250 per property. 

I'm selling my property, what do I need to do?
When selling the property your solicitor will have questions about the lease, the properties and your accounts.  We call these pre-assignment enquiries, to answer these questions we will provide you with a pre-assignment pack.  The pack includes information about:

• Past and present service charges
• Past major works
• Buildings insurance
• Lease requirements

There is a fee for supplying the pack, please see admin charges for further information. 


What happens when I sell? 
When you sell the property you, or the buyer, are required, under the terms of the lease, to advise us in writing within one month of the change of ownership.  Your service charge account should be cleared at the time of sale.  Any debit or credit will be transferred to the buyer's account.  You should also ensure that your solicitor has held a retention for the actual accounts as we don't apportion charges. 

Right to buy discount
If you bought your home under the right to buy scheme, you may have to repay some or the entire discount that you received.

Providing you applied for your right to buy before 18 January 2005 you will only have to repay the discount if you sell within three years of buying your home. You will repay discount at the following rate:

Property sold within	Amount of discount repayable
One year of purchase	100%
Two years of purchase	66.6%
Three years of purchase	33.3%

 

You are exempt from paying back the discount in the first three years only if:

• the property is transferred to a husband or wife as part of a divorce settlement as ruled by the courts
• you sell as a result of a compulsory purchase order from Phoenix
• the property has been transferred to you under a will. However, if you wish to sell the property that you have inherited you will be required to repay the discount if the sale takes place within three years of the original date that it was sold under the right to buy.

If you applied for your right to buy after 18 January 2005 different rules apply to you for repaying the discount. These are more complex and affect sales taking place within five years of purchase under the right to buy. The amount of discount that you will be asked to repay is calculated on value of the discount you received as a percentage of the value of your home at the time that you bought it.

Can I sublet my property?
Yes. You are permitted to sublet your property under the terms of your lease but you must provide us with a correspondence address in England or Wales and you may also need to advise your mortgage and insurance providers. 

Can I make alterations to my property?
You must request permission from us, as the freeholder, before making any changes to the property.  Requests must be made in writing and should include two drawings, one showing the current layout and another showing the layout with proposed alterations, identifying any structural or load bearing walls.  There may be a fee for reviewing your request.

Can I replace my window frames?
No.  We are responsible for the structure of the building and this includes the window frames.  You are responsible for the glazing within the window frame.

Who is the freeholder?
In most cases, Phoenix Community Housing is the freeholder.  There are some blocks where Phoenix Community Housing is the head leaseholder and has sold you a sub-lease. 

USEFUL CONTACTS 

Home Ownership Team
Address: Wren Court, 15 London Road, Bromley, BR1 1DE
Telephone landline: 0800 0285 700 or mobile: 0844 264 2844
Fax: 020 8316 9092
Using email form: Customer Services.   

Repairs
Telephone landline: 0800 0285 700 or mobile: 0844 264 2844

Leasehold Advisory Service
Address: 31 Worship Street, London, EC2A 2DX
Telephone: 020 7374 5380
Fax: 020 7374 5373
Email: info@lease-advice.org
Web: www.lease-advice.org 

Leasehold Valuation Tribunal (LVT)
Address: Residential Property Tribunal Service, 10 Alfred Place, London, WC1E 7LR
Telephone:  020 7446 7700
Fax:  020 7637 1250
Email: london.rap@communities.gsi.gov.uk
Web: www.rpts.gov.uk 

Lewisham Council
Address: Lewisham Town Hall, Catford, London, SE6 4RU
Telephone: 020 8314 6000
Web: www.lewisham.gov.uk 

Lewisham Council Planning Information Service
Telephone: 020 8314 7400
Email: planning@lewisham.gov.uk 

Transco (for Gas)
Telephone: 0800 111 999 

Tenant Services Authority (replaced Housing Corporation)
Address: Maple House, 149 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7BN
Telephone: 0845 230 7000
Email: enquiries@tsa.gsx.gov.uk
Web: www.tenantservicesauthority.org 

Independent Housing Ombudsman
Address: 81 Aldwych, London, WC2B 4HN
Telephone: 020 7421 3800
Fax: 020 7831 1942
Email: info@housing-ombudsman.org.uk
Web: www.ihos.org.uk 

Citizens Advice Bureau - Catford
Address: 120 Rushey Green, Catford, London, SE6 4HQ
Telephone: 08701 264037 (Debt advice only 020 8314 2460)
Fax: 020 8690 0067
Web: www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Citizens Advice Bureau - Bromley
Address: Community House, South Street, Bromley, Kent, BR1 1RH
Telephone: 020 8315 1940
Fax: 020 8315 1956
Web: www.bromleycab.org.uk

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