Suppose you buy a flat and then discover that repairs are required to the roof or another part of the building. What happens then?

As the Council's Statutory Notice scheme is no longer operating (except for emergency repairs), the owners will have to arrange the repairs themselves. Ideally, the owners will all take an interest in maintaining the common areas and will work together to ensure that any necessary repairs are carried out and that the costs are divided appropriately.

However, sometimes one or more of the owners will not agree to the repairs or may be difficult to contact if they don't live in the flat. Usually, repairs can be authorised by a majority of the owners, so it is not necessary for everyone to agree. Obviously, from a practical point of view, the agreeing owners will want to be sure that the non-agreeing owners will pay their share of the costs of the repairs. Given the inherent difficulties in obtaining payment from many different owners, some contractors will not carry out any work unless payment is made upfront.

The issue of common repairs can therefore be difficult and time-consuming, and it is something that should be given serious consideration before buying a flatted property.