Repairs and alterations

If you are a council leaseholder, you are responsible for all repairs inside your home. We are responsible for maintaining the exterior of the building, fire doors and any shared areas, and you will pay towards these works through annual service charges.

Find out what you need to repair as a leaseholder and what we repair on your behalf.

Our repair responsibilities

We are responsible for maintaining the exterior and/or shared parts of the block.

This includes inspecting, maintaining, replacing, decorating and cleaning the following:

• external paintwork
• rainwater goods (gutters, downpipes, fascia, soffits)
• entry systems
• fire safety equipment/fire precaution works
• communal utility supplies
• means of access
• communal front doors
• fire doors (this can include flat entrance doors that must comply with fire safety regulations)
• the structure of the block.

We are also responsible for grounds maintenance and the replacement and repair of windows and doors.

Your repair responsibilities

You are responsible for all internal items (unless in shared areas), including:

• ceilings and floor surfaces
• electrical work including smoke alarms, light fittings, wiring and circuits
• all gas, plumbing and heating works, including safety certificates (it is a condition of your lease that you are responsible for maintenance and regular servicing)
• your keys, door bells, knockers and numbers
• kitchen units and worktops
• room décor
• inside doors, frames, architraves, floorboards and skirting boards.

You will also be responsible for any damage to communal items or property of the council caused by you or visitors to your property.

Report a repair

If there is a repair needed which is the responsibility of the council, please report this to our contractor Mears.

• email: dover.repairs@mearsgroup.co.uk
• phone: 08000 234 320

If you are unhappy with the standard of the repair, contact the homeownership team.

• email: homeownership@dover.gov.uk
• phone: 01304 872247

Alterations to your property

You need to have our permission for alterations including (and not limited to) replacing a kitchen, bathroom, satellite dish, removing internal walls and replacing front doors. New front doors must meet fire safety standards and any alterations, such as a new letter box or cat flap, must have our consent.

You will need to complete the alteration application form below.

There may be an administration fee payable to provide formal consent for the proposed alterations. Please be aware if alterations are carried out without consent from us this may cause problems for you when you go to sell the property.

There is a possibility that your property contains asbestos‑based materials, so you are advised to check whether this applies to your home.

If you find, or suspect, that asbestos is present and your planned work may disturb it, you must use a contractor who is a member of the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association to carry out any removal or alterations.

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