Leaseholder handbook

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• Who do I ask about a business premises in Dacorum?

  For information about a leasehold commercial property or a flat above a shop, please call 01442 228000 and ask for Estates.

  For repairs, the building is owned by our commercial property section (Estates).

  Email es-buildserv@dacorum.gov.uk or call 01442 228000 and ask for Building Services.

• I am selling my flat. How do I get a leasehold pack?

  You can request and pay for a leaseholder pack (also known as a seller's pack) online.

  Please see our letting or selling your leasehold property page for more information.

• How do I find out the outstanding balance on my account?

  Please contact our Customer Accounts team for:

  • Help with payments
  • To make an arrangement to pay by instalments
  • To set up a Direct Debit
  • If you have had a letter from a Debt Recovery Agent

  Email customer.accounts@dacorum.gov.uk or call 01442 228315.

• Why can't I get hold of my Leasehold Officer on the phone?

  Our Leasehold team is small, so there may be a number of reasons why this is happening. Our officers may be on another call, away from their desks, in a meeting or out of office.

  Please leave a voicemail with the following details and someone will get back to you:

  • Your name
  • The address of the leasehold property
  • The reason you are calling
  • Your phone number

  If you're asking about something we cannot help with, your message will be passed on to the relevant person to call you back.

  Please note: If you've just received an invoice, our officers will be very busy. All invoice queries are logged in date order so your query will be acknowledged in this order and we will respond in full.

  Our first priority is to make sure we have all the details of your query on record, so please email your query to servicecharges@dacorum.gov.uk or complete the invoice query form.

• What should I do if I suspect a gas leak?

  If you suspect a gas leak or notice any fumes coming from a gas appliance, please follow the steps below:

  • Do not turn any electrical switches on or off
  • Do not smoke
  • Do not use naked flames
  • Turn off the gas at the meter
  • Open all windows and doors
  • Call the National Gas Emergency Service on 0800 111 999 to report the leak.
• Can I keep pets?

  If you live in a flat, bedsit or maisonette, you are allowed to keep one domestic pet without our approval.

  If your lease started before 20 April 2006, you are allowed to keep two domestic pets.

  We expect all of our leaseholders (and tenants) to be responsible pet owners.

  You must not fit a cat flap to your front door if it opens onto an internal corridor. Animals should not be allowed to roam in communal corridors or stairwells.

  You must respect the use of communal areas and clean up after your pet. You should consider the welfare of the animal and have consideration for your neighbours at all times.

• Can I rent a garage?

  We have garages available to rent throughout the borough.

  If you wish to rent a garage, please visit our garages page and follow the link to apply.

• Can I store personal belongings in shared areas?

  No. Shared areas, such as stairways, landings and hallways, must be kept completely clear of items such as prams, pushchairs, bicycles, children’s toys, plant stands, door mats and waste.

  We will remove any items we find in shared areas and either store them or dispose of them.

  Items of value will be stored for 28 days, but items that are rubbish will be disposed of immediately. We will charge you for this, even if the item is rubbish. The charge is currently a minimum of £40.

  Please read our  Fire Safety Policy (PDF 619KB).

• How should I dispose of bulky items?

  A bulky item is any large appliance or item of furniture that you would take with you when moving home. For example, freestanding items such as beds, wardrobes, settees, fridges and cookers.

  We can collect bulky items from your home for a small charge and we offer a discount to Dacorum Card holders.

  You'll need to leave your items outside your building for collection on a given day. Please fix a notice on your goods, so it is clear to other residents that you have paid for a collection.

  Book a collection on our bulky items collection page or call 01442 228000 and ask for Waste Services.

• Someone has dumped their old furniture in the communal area. What should I do?

  Fly-tipping breaches the terms of the lease and tenancy agreement. If you can tell us (in confidence) who has done this and it can be proved, we will recharge the person for the clearance. 

  Find out more and report a case online, on our fly-tipping page.

  You can also contact the Housing Officer for your area, if you know who has dumped the items. Call 01442 228000 and ask for Housing.

• How can I reduce condensation and mould in my flat?

  We get a lot of calls from leaseholders complaining about damp patches on the walls and black mould. Often the problem is condensation (not a leak) and is preventable.

  In the colder months, condensation is always worse, when people are reluctant to open the windows. You may like to consider installing or upgrading extraction fans to the kitchen and bathroom. You should make sure that these are always used when cooking, showering or bathing.

  Find out what steps to take to prevent condensation, on our condensation page. If you are renting out your property, let your tenants know about this information, too.

  Please make any necessary changes and allow at least a month for improvements to become noticeable.

• Who will repair the damp in my home?

  Please note:

  • If one of your pipes is leaking and causing damp in your flat, this is your responsibility to repair.
  • If your windows are allowing water to get into your home and this is causing damp, this is also your responsibility to resolve, according to the terms of the lease.
  • Issues such as poor ventilation in your leasehold property or lack of suitable extraction fans are your responsibility as a leaseholder to rectify. You may find it helpful to have a private contractor carry out a survey of your property, and to follow their recommendations.

  If your independent survey indicates problems with the structure of the building, or that the damp is being caused by a leaking gutter or that the ground outside the property is too high, breaching the damp proof course, or that repointing is needed to the external brickwork, then please contact us and we will refer this to our surveyors. Please provide us with a copy of your independent report.

  We will ask you for the details of where the damp is showing inside your flat, but we will not carry out an internal inspection of your property.

  To get in touch with us, email servicecharges@dacorum.gov.uk or call 01442 228799.

• How can I get another fob or key for the security door to my block?

  If you need additional security door keys or fobs, these can be purchased from our Customer Service Centres in Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted. Please see our contact us page for the opening hours.

  Please bring along some proof that you are entitled to have entry to the block (such as a recent leasehold invoice, a private tenancy agreement, your lease agreement, or a recent Council Tax bill). If someone else is collecting a key or fob for a tenant, they need a signed letter confirming who is collecting the key and for whom, and a form of ID.

  The current cost of a security key or fob is £10.50. Customer Services do not accept cash payments.

  Copies of ASSA security door keys should not be cut. 

  • Copy keys will not be reliable, you may not be able to get into the building.
  • Copy keys may get stuck in the lock, resulting in the contractor having to be called out.
  • Only the original ASSA key will work correctly.
• Who deals with neighbour disputes?

  Getting along with your neighbours often comes down to common sense and consideration. A moment of anger can quickly grow into something that can affect your happiness for many years.

  The best way of avoiding problems is to put up with minor nuisances and apologise when you know that you or a member of your family have caused a problem. If you're angry about something your neighbour has done, wait until you have calmed down before discussing the situation with them. Be careful not to overreact to defend your children or pets.

  You should not, however, tolerate serious or persistent nuisance, illegal activities, harassment or anti-social behaviour. If you are regularly suffering nuisance from a neighbour, keep a written record of what is happening, including the date, time, who was involved and how it affected you or your family.

  Report the situation to your housing officer (call 01442 228000 and say the name of your Housing Officer) and show them the records you have made. They will do whatever is necessary to deal with the situation.

  We will refer the most serious cases of harassment or antisocial behaviour to our specialist Anti-Social Behaviour team, who work closely with the police. Please see our anti-social behaviour page.