If you’re a leaseholder, which also includes shared owners - you own your home for a set number of years, but not the building it’s in, or the land it’s on. Your lease agreement will set out your responsibilities, our responsibilities and what you own and for how long.
If you are a shared owner you’ll usually pay us a rent, a service charge and buildings insurance as one combined monthly amount. If you are a leaseholder you’ll usually pay us a ground rent, service charge and buildings insurance which is charged once a year.
What does leasehold mean?
Your home may be ‘leasehold’ if you are liable to pay a service charge to Coastline Housing Ltd because:
- You live in a flat with shared areas that are maintained by us
- You live on an estate with shared areas that are maintained by us
- You live in a house that has a restriction meaning you are unable to be the freeholder
Your lease will set out the services we must provide to your home. It will also refer to what you will have to pay towards the cost of these services. We charge you the cost of providing these services in the form of an annual service charge.
For full details of what it means to be a leaseholder and what your responsibilities are, please read our Leaseholder Handbook, available at the featured documents section below.
FAQs
At Coastline Housing, we’re committed to keeping your homes and communal spaces running smoothly and efficiently. One of the ways we do this is by securing utility contracts, such as electricity and gas, for shared areas like stairwells, corridors, and communal lounges.
From time to time, we need to renew or change these contracts. When this happens, we act quickly to make sure we get the best possible deal for you and your neighbours.
Why we act quickly
The energy market can change rapidly, and prices can fluctuate from day to day. Because of this, we have a limited window to secure the most competitive rates. This means we’re not always able to carry out a full formal consultation process.
No Section 20 consultation
You might be familiar with the Section 20 consultation process, which is used for certain types of major works or long-term agreements. Acting quickly to get the best possible deals means we don’t have time to carry out this consultation. Instead, we make an application to the First-tier Tribunal to ask their permission to not follow these rules. We’ll always keep you informed when this happens though and you will still have a right to comment, ask questions, and raise any concerns.
Working with experts
To make sure we’re getting the best value for money, we work closely with a trusted industry expert. They help us navigate the energy market and secure contracts that are both cost-effective and reliable.
No Need to contact us
There’s no need for you to take any action or get in touch about these contracts. We’ll keep you updated with any important changes and make sure you’re informed every step of the way.
Thank you for being part of the Coastline community. We’re always working behind the scenes to make sure your home is safe, comfortable, and affordable.
This refers to buying additional shares in your home.
As a shared owner you have the right to buy all, or part of your home from us if you can afford to do so but there is a special process to go through. Find out more here.
No. Coastline is responsible for insuring the building against loss or damage by fire, or other similar risks. The cost of this insurance is recharged to you under the terms of your lease. We advise you of these costs each year as part of your annual estimates of charges.
Make sure you are not paying twice - mortgage lenders will frequently try to sell buildings insurance alongside your mortgage. Inform them that your landlord is responsible for insuring the building under the terms of the lease. If need be, we can provide lenders with details of our insurance policy.
The cost of this may be higher than you can purchase privately, however, it is a higher level of cover and has to be arranged under Coastline's Group Insurance Policy.
Once you 'staircase' to 100% ownership, you will be responsible for arranging your own buildings insurance, unless you remain a leaseholder, as not all properties allow you to become the freeholder.
You can contact current buildings insurer Zurich to make a claim
- Call: 0800 028 0336
- Email: farnboroughpropertyclaims@ukzurich.com
- Web: https://propertyclaims.zurich.co.uk/link/portal/publicsector
Read more information about making a property claim and Zurich's claim guides
Policy details
- Main policy number: JHA-22S012-0033
- Main policyholder name: Coastline Housing Limited & Coastline Services Limited & Coastline Care Limited
- Policy effective date: 23/03/2025
- Policy expiry date: 22/03/2026
Our insurance provider Zurich has a 24 hour emergency claim line
- 0800 028 0336
In the event of any unforeseen emergency affecting your premises which causes damage of potential danger, Zurich's emergency claims service will arrange for a suitable repairer or contractor to visit as soon as possible to provide emergency assistance or to provide emergency repairs to be carried out to prevent further damage occurring. All costs of assistance provided are your responsibility, although please keep the bills as they could form part of a valid claim.
Policy details
- Main policy number: JHA-22S012-0033
- Main policyholder name: Coastline Housing Limited & Coastline Services Limited & Coastline Care Limited
- Policy effective date: 23/03/2025
- Policy expiry date: 22/03/2026
If you wish to remove a partner's name from the lease, we suggest you contact a solicitor in the first instance to seek independent legal advice.
If the property is new and within the initial defects period (usually 12 months), then we may be responsible for any defects arising as a result of the build process.
However, as a shared owner, you are generally responsible for all repairs to the property. You should consult your lease agreement in the first instance, but contact us if you are unsure.
Most new build properties are covered by a National Housing Building Council (NHBC) warranty. If you think you may have a claim, you can contact them direct to see if they can help.