We’re here to help: A guide to your initial repairs
We’re here to help you with repairs. This guide explains how Shared Owners can claim for qualifying repairs in the first 10 years. For properties less than one year old, repairs are addressed as defects; please contact our Service Centre for assistance. Shared Owners are eligible to claim up to £500 annually for qualifying repairs. Please refer to your ‘key information document’ for details concerning any initial repair period.
Download the Shared Owners Qualifying Repair(s) Claim Form here to quickly begin your claim
What is the Initial Repair Period?
For the first 10 years of your Shared Ownership, you may be eligible for support with essential repairs. This is known as the initial repair period. During this time, you can apply for a contribution towards the cost of ‘Qualifying Repairs’ and maintenance. Remember, if your repair is covered by a building warranty or another guarantee, you must use that first.
As a Shared Owner, you’re responsible for internal repairs, but you can claim up to £500 each year to help with qualifying repairs and maintenance. This covers things such as;
- Water, gas, or electricity supply (sinks, pipes)
- Heating (boilers, radiators)
- The building’s structure (windows, doors, walls).
There’s no limit on the number of claims, as long as the total doesn’t exceed £500 annually. Any costs above this amount are your responsibility.
Please note, this doesn’t include the following;
- Installing new fixtures (like kitchen cabinets)
- Installing new fittings (like beds)
- Appliances using your utilities (ovens, washing machines).
- Repairs covered by warranties are excluded.
You’ll still need to pay any service charges for your home, even during the initial repair period.
How does the £500 budget work?
You can carry over any unused repair allowance to the next year, up to a maximum of one year’s worth. So, if you don’t use all of your £500 allowance in one year, you can add what’s left to your allowance for the following year. Here’s an example of how that works
| Repairs allowance | Allowance claimed for repairs | Amount rolled over to next year | |
| Year 1 | £500 | 0 | £500 |
| Year 2 | £1,000 (£500 + £500) | £750 | £250 |
| Year 3 | £750 (£500 + £250) | £0 | £500 |
If you’d like to check your repair allowance balance, please contact us and we’re happy to help. Should you sell your home, the remaining allowance will usually pass to the new owner, unless they buy a 100% share. Any repair costs beyond your allowance are your responsibility. You’ll also receive a letter from us each September with your up-to-date balance.
Building warranty
When you move into a brand-new home, you're covered by two key protections: a 12-month defect period and a 10-year build warranty. Your builder takes out this warranty to give you peace of mind.
These warranties are there to protect us all from major structural issues that, unfortunately, can sometimes happen even in new builds. The first 12 months, the defect period, is when the builder fixes any problems from faulty materials or workmanship. After that, the remaining nine years are covered by the build warranty.
The build warranty focuses on the big structural things, like foundations, roofs, ceilings, and even solar panels. If you have a problem covered by the warranty after the first year, you'll claim directly with the warranty provider. Not sure which warranty covers your home? Get in touch with us, and we'll let you know.
Defect Liability Period
During the initial 12 months after we receive your new home from the developer, they are responsible for rectifying any defects resulting from poor construction or faulty materials. This period is known as the defect liability period, and it ensures your home is built to a good standard. This covers structural issues but excludes installation of new fixtures like kitchen units, appliances, or items covered by separate warranties.
If you experience any defects within this first year, please report them to One Vision Housing, and we will handle the communication with the builder on your behalf.
External and structural repairs
One Vision Housing is responsible for repairs to the outside of your building, as well as structural repairs to internal walls, floors, ceilings, and stairs. However, this doesn't apply if the repair is covered by a building warranty or guarantee. Our legal repair obligations are based on Section 11 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. You can learn more about these responsibilities here.
Emergency repairs
It's important to know that emergency repairs won't be covered if they result from damage you've caused or if you haven't kept up with regular maintenance and servicing. We may request proof of servicing. And just a reminder, you'll need to pay for any repair costs that exceed your available allowance.
Rejected claims
It's important to note that we won't cover repairs if you don't adhere to your lease agreement. This includes instances of intentional damage or failure to perform routine maintenance, such as regular boiler servicing. We require proof of an up-to-date boiler service to process your claim.
Your Five-Step Guide to Repair Claims
Step 1: Check for warranties
Check to see if there are any warranties and/or guarantees in place for the component you are looking to make a claim against, and that all routine servicing and maintenance has been completed as appropriate.
Step 2: Tell us about the repair
If there are no warranties or guarantees covering the repair, please let us know what needs doing. You’ll need to use a TrustMark-approved tradesperson, which you can find on the TrustMark website. Before any work starts, please contact us at repairs@ovh.org.uk with a full description of the required work and the quote from your TrustMark-approved contractor.
We’ll then check if the repair qualifies for your allowance. To help us assess your claim, please also provide clear photos of the problem before any work is carried out. We may need to inspect the issue at your home before we approve your claim.
Step 3: Get the repair done
Once we’ve approved your claim, you can arrange for the repair to be carried out by your chosen tradesperson.
Step 4: Show us the completed repair
Once the works are complete, you will need to contact us via repairs@ovh.org.uk to provide a copy of the invoice and a full description of the works completed, including photographic evidence (before and after) and information about the contractor used.
Remember, you can claim up to £500, any costs above this amount are your responsibility. We might also need to inspect the completed repair before we make the payment.
Step 5: Get your allowance paid
Once we’ve approved the completed repair, we’ll pay the allowance directly into your bank account within 28 days.
