If you have purchased a council flat (or certain houses in the Charlemont Farm area of West Bromwich). there will be a service charge applicable to the property.

This allows us to recover costs for providing services and maintenance to your building, as well as the cost for insuring the building in which your property is situated.  There will also be a fee for managing the service, and this pays for the costs incurred from providing the service.  Finally, there will be a charge for ground rent, which is applicable to all leasehold properties bought under the 'Right to Buy' scheme in this country.

Major Works and Repairs

It will be necessary from time to time to carry out major works to the building in which your property is situated. You will be charged an apportionment of all charges for work of this nature.

Standard repair items must be reported to your local repair team.  Normally, we will only be able to perform works of an external nature to leasehold properties; repairs to the interior of the property will usually be the leaseholder's responsibility.

For more information on major works, repairs and repairing obligations, please see the Leasehold Handbook.

Leasehold Forum

The Leasehold Forum meets four times a year to discuss leasehold matters and the service in general.  All leaseholders are encouraged to become active members of the forum and you will receive your invitation to each meeting by post.

Contact Us

The Home Ownership Unit is responsible for administering your charges, and can provide advice and guidance in all matters relating to leasehold management.  You can contact us in the following ways:

By post: Home Ownership Unit

Council House, High Street

Smethwick

B66 3NT

By telephone: 0121 569 5199

By fax: 0121 569 5100

By email: leasehold_services@sandwellhomes.org.uk

Opening hours: Monday to Thursday 9:00am - 5:30pm; Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm

We are able to produce documents in languages other than english and interpreters can be provided upon request.

Further Help

We offer a variety of ways to pay your bills - please contact us for details.  Payments can also be made to your service charge or major works account online. To do so click here.  Alternatively, you can pay by telephone on 0845 3553500.  If you are connected to the automated payment service, please select "rents" from the options provided.

The Leasehold Handbook is an invaluable resource for anyone who has purchased their property from Sandwell MBC and has to pay a service charge. These handbooks were issued to all existing leasehold properties in 2006, and to all subsequent leasehold sales, but an online copy can be viewed here.