Your council lease

What is the lease for my council leasehold property?

If your property was originally purchased from the council under the right to buy scheme, it will have been sold on a long-lease basis. Your lease is a contract between you (the leaseholder) and us (East Riding of Yorkshire Council). It is a legal document that gives you the right to possession of your home for a fixed number of years (up to 125). The freeholder (the council) owns the building in which you live and is responsible for the structure of the building and any communal areas. Your lease tells you the terms and conditions that you need to abide by in order to retain ownership of your home, as well as our responsibilities as owner of the building.

In general, the main terms covered by the lease are:

• the responsibilities of the leaseholder/s and the freeholder with regard to repairs and maintenance for the property, the building and any communal areas
• the ground rent and service charge payable, including what proportion of the costs you have to pay, what can be charged for and when you have to pay
• the insurance of the property
• general conditions about the occupancy of the property
• what you must do if you sell your lease
• the grounds on which the freeholder may apply to end your lease. 

More information about your rights and responsibilities as a leaseholder is contained in the following pdf document:

East Riding Leaseholders Handbook: Your Guide to Leasehold Home Ownership (pdf 1mb)

Further information is also available on the GOV.UK website:

GOV.UK - Residential Long Leaseholders (external website)

Where can I get a copy of the lease for my council leasehold property?

We have several different types of lease that were inherited from the previous local authorities; it is important to refer to your own lease for its precise terms and conditions. If you do not have a copy of your lease you can obtain one from the Land Registry through their website, a charge is payable.

Apply for official copy of lease - Land Registry on GOV.UK (external website)

This information only applies to council leasehold properties that were originally purchased under the right to buy scheme, for information on other council leasehold properties please contact our valuations and estates team:

Tel: (01482) 393998.