B3 LEASEHOLDERS HANDBOOK FINAL Lao 1 20/11/2012 …personal information that we hold about you, in...

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Leasehold handbook

B3 LEASEHOLDERS HANDBOOK FINAL_Layout 1 20/11/2012 10:15 Page 2

Section 1 introduction

Section 2 Service standards

Section 3 Service charges & ground rent

Section 4 Major works

Section 5 insurance

Section 6 Repairs and maintenance

Section 7 Responsibility for windows

Section 8 Lease extension & buying the freehold

Section 9 Subletting your property

Section 10 Moving home

Section 11 Living in your home and neighbourhood

Section 12 Getting involved

Section 13 Frequently asked questions

Section 14 definition of terms

Section 15 Lease and the law

Section 16 Useful contacts

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This handbook is a guide

to your lease, rights and

obligations as a

leaseholder, no matter if

you purchased your

home under the Right to

Buy scheme or on the

open market.

Your lease describes the

property you have purchased,

including a plan showing the

property and any garden,

garage or shed. It also shows the

building containing your home

and the estate it is on.

B3Living is responsible for

maintaining, improving and

providing services to your

building and estate. As a

leaseholder, you are responsible

for paying towards these works

and services through your

service charge. It is our duty to

give you the best service we can

and in return, by becoming a

B3Living lessee, you have

entered into certain obligations

as well.

For example, you are responsible

for paying your ground rent and

service charge on time, and

complying with the terms and

conditions of your lease

agreement.

It is important that you

understand the terms of your

lease and the conditions in it.

Breaking the conditions of your

lease could have serious

consequences.

You should read your lease

carefully and get advice from a

solicitor. The Citizens Advice

Bureau is also an option if there is

anything you do not understand.

4

introduction

Section 1


5

What is a lease?

If you purchased a

flat/maisonette, you have

purchased a leasehold interest

for a fixed term i.e. 99 or 125

years. As a leaseholder you buy

the right to live in your property

and you pay a share of the costs

of the upkeep and repair of the

building and estate where you

live.

The lease is a legal contract

between you and B3Living and is

an important document. You

probably became a leaseholder

by:

l Buying your home from

Broxbourne Council under the

Right to Buy scheme.


B3Living under the Preserved

Right to Buy scheme.


B3Living under the Right to

Acquire scheme.

l Buying your home on the

open market from a previous

owner.

The lease will say what parts of

the building have been sold to

you (the ‘demised premises’)

and areas over which you have

rights. The plans attached to

your lease will show the demised

premises and areas over which

you have rights of access. You

should check your own lease

and plans to see which are

relevant to you. For example,

you may have the benefit of a

drying area or parking space.

The lease sets out your rights and

responsibilities as the leaseholder

and B3Living’s rights and

responsibilities as the landlord.

Section 1 - Introduction


commonly used terms

in the lease

Leaseholder/Lessee – The person

who has purchased the lease of

the property. You may also be

referred to as the flat owner. In

some legal documents the

leaseholder is referred to as the

tenant.

Landlord – B3Living. The landlord

may also be referred to as the

freeholder or lessor.

demised property – the

description of the

flat/maisonette you have

purchased as shown on the plan

attached to your lease.

Building – the building or block

that contains your flat.

Estate – the estate that includes

your flat / buildings as well as

other land and buildings.

Service charge – the amount

you pay for repairs and services

to your building and communal

areas.

covenants – legally binding

obligations and responsibilities

on your part as a leaseholder

and on B3Living’s part as the

freeholder.

My notes:

Leasehold Handbook

6


7

Service standards

Section 2

communication standards

If we wish to visit your home, we

will:

l Make an appointment first

and arrive on time

l Give you plenty of notice if

we cannot keep the

appointment and offer to re-

arrange

l Show identification before

entering your home

l Make sure our contractors

keep to these standards too

If we get things wrong, we will:

l Apologise for our mistakes. Put

it right as soon as possible and

keep you informed of our

progress

l Let you know that you have

the right to complain, and tell

you how to make a formal

complaint

l Tell you how we have learnt

from our mistakes and what

we are doing to make sure

the mistake does not happen

again

l Always welcome your

suggestions for improving our

service

In all our contact with you, we

will:

l Try to get things right the first

time

l Explain when we will be able

to deal with your enquiry, if

we can’t do it straight away

l Be polite and treat you fairly

and with respect, paying

attention to any special

requirements you may have

l Respect your confidentiality

and give you access to any

personal information that we

hold about you, in line with

our legal duties


l Explain your rights and

responsibilities

l Provide a consistent standard

of service

In all our communication with

you, we will aim to:

l Write to you in a way that is

straight-forward

l Be honest and clearly explain

the reasons for any decisions

we make, even if this

sometimes means that we

have to give you bad news

l Provide information in large

print and/or audio CD upon

request or where we know a

need exists

l Provide access to translation

or interpretation services upon

request or where we know a

need exists

l Look for ways to assist any

residents who have a

disability, mental or physical ill

health which may make

communication difficult

If you write or e-mail us, we will:

l Reply with a response that

fully answers your enquiries,

within five working days

l If we cannot provide a full

response, we will let you know

who is dealing with your

enquiry and when you can

expect a reply

If you telephone our offices, we

will:

l Answer your call within ten

seconds and give you our

name

l Answer your enquiries

immediately, or transfer you

quickly to someone who can

help you or take a message

l If you leave a message, we

will return your call by the end

of the next working day

8

Leasehold Handbook


Section 2 - Service standards

9

If you visit us, we will:

l Greet you quickly and politely

within five minutes of your

arrival

l Be on time for any

appointment you have made

l If you do not have an

appointment, we will make

sure you do not have to wait

more than 20 minutes to see

someone who can help you

l Keep our reception areas

clean and tidy, and display

up to date information

l Provide private interview

rooms to discuss confidential

Issues

Estate management

To keep your estate in order, we

will:

l Visit you in your home to

discuss any housing related

matter upon request

l Invite you to join us on estate

inspections, within a month of

your request.

l Remove any untaxed,

dumped vehicles within 15

days, less if it is dangerous

l Deal sympathetically with any

request for assignment or

succession, and make a

decision within 14 days of the

relevant facts being obtained

To help keep you safe, we will:

l Respond to reports of anti-

social behaviour within five

working days

l Respond to reports of serious

anti-social behaviour e.g.

threats, racial harassment or

actual use of violence, within

24 hours

l Investigate incidents as racist

if a complainant or a witness

calls the incident racist

l Keep you up to date with our

actions, by whatever means

you prefer (phone, email, and

so on)

l Close a case of anti-social

behaviour only after speaking

to the complainant

beforehand

l Support witnesses and victims

wherever possible in a way

that suits you


To keep your estate clean and

well looked after, we will:

l Remove any homophobic,

racist or sexist graffiti within 24

hours of being told about it

l Remove any dumped items

within 48 hours of notification

l Remove any hypodermic

needles or other dangerous

items within 4 hours of being

told about them

l Work to set schedules to keep

your estates clean and tidy

l Attend to any calls where

people are stuck in lifts within

two hours of call being

received

For leaseholders, we will:

l Send an annual service

charge schedule by the

beginning of April each year

l Send an annual invoice to all

leaseholders paying by direct

debit

l Send quarterly invoices to

those who do not pay their

service charges by direct

debit

l Only invoice for the cost of

services provided. No profit

element will be included in

the charges

l Base invoices on the

estimated charges for the

current year, as set out in the

service charge schedule

l Adjust charges after the year

end for the actual costs

incurred and issue a

statement each September

Leasehold Handbook

10

Our Community Rangers will keep

your estate clean and our Send and

Mend service will keep your block

maintained


11

Service charges and ground rent

Section 3

When you buy your property,

B3Living is still responsible for the

upkeep of the structure, exterior

and communal parts of the

block. As a leaseholder, you pay

a share towards the cost of

these services. This is called a

service charge. All of the

charges are, most of the time,

divided equally between each

of the properties in the block.

The charges could be made up

of the following:

l Repairs and maintenance to

your building and communal

areas

l Improvement work to your

building(e.g. new door entry

system)

l Ground maintenance for

communal areas

l Building insurance

l Management charge (our

costs for managing leasehold

properties)

l Communal electricity

l Caretaking

l Window cleaning

l Television aerial

l Communal heating

l Door entry system

We estimate your service

charges at the beginning of

each financial year (1st April). At

the end of the financial year

(31st March), we calculate the

actual expenditure and send

you a statement detailing the

costs of the services each

September. You will either

receive an invoice or credit note

for the difference between the

estimate and the actual cost.

Ground Rent

The ground rent is a fixed annual

payment for the use of the

demised premises. The ground

rent is £10.00 per annum if the

property was originally bought

under the Right to Buy scheme.

Ground rent costs will vary on

other schemes.


Limits on service charges

If you buy your property under

the Right to Buy scheme, we

have to provide you with an

estimate of the likely costs of

repairs or improvement works for

the first five years of the lease.

We cannot charge you more

than the estimated amount

together with an allowance for

inflation for the works during the

initial period of five years from

the date the lease was first sold.

If you sell your lease within the

five year period the next buyer is

also entitled to only be charged

the estimated amounts (with an

allowance for inflation) for the

remainder of the five year

period.

How do i pay?

Payment Options:

l cheque

- Payable to “B3Living Ltd”

l credit or debit card

- Telephone: 01992 453 700

or freephone 0800 107 0713.

l Personal internet Banking

- Payment via transfer from

your bank account using our

details as follows: Payee:

B3Living; Sort code: 30-99-86;

Account number: 01573497.

Please quote your “customer

account number” as the

reference

l direct debit / Standing Order

– please contact us on 01992

453700 and we can set up

payments by monthly

instalments

l Bar code Payment card

– if you wish to pay cash we

can issue a card that you can

use at numerous outlets.

Contact the Home Ownership

team on 01992 453 712 /

453 746.

l Payment Kiosk at council

Offices, Bishops college

– you can pay cash through

automated kiosk

12

Leasehold Handbook


Section 3 - Service charges and ground rent

13

What if i’m having trouble

keeping up with payments?

Your lease states that you must

pay your charges within 28 days.

If you cannot pay your service

charge you need to let us know

straight away so we can give

you help and advice. We can

do this over the phone or you

can visit our offices.

What happens if i do not pay my

service charges?

If you do not pay your share of

the charges, you are breaching

the terms of your lease

agreement. B3Living have a

recovery procedure which is

followed and various actions

can be taken such as issuing

reminder letters, approaching

your mortgage provider for

payment on your behalf,

applying to the court for a

County Court Judgment or

putting a charge on the

property. As a last resort, B3Living

could apply to the court to have

your lease “forfeited”. In these

circumstances you could lose

your home.

What is forfeiture?

Forfeiture is where we apply to

the court to end your lease

because you have broken the

terms of your lease agreement.

This could happen for

example if:

l You do not pay your service

charges/ ground rent

l You cause nuisance and

harassment to your

neighbours

There are other breaches of your

lease which could result in

forfeiture; for more information

on these conditions please refer

to your lease agreement and

ask your solicitor for advice.

If the court does decide that you

have seriously broken the terms

of your lease, it may end the

lease and grant us possession of

your home. You would lose your

home and would not get any

payment or compensation.


Leasehold Handbook

14

As a responsible landlord we

would only apply for forfeiture as

a last resort, to protect the

interest of B3Living. With overdue

service charges/ground rent we

will always try to help you if you

have genuine financial

problems. Before applying for

forfeiture for unpaid service

charges we would have to show

that our charges were

reasonable and that you had

made no attempt to pay them.

For advice on financial

problems, please see page 52

for organisations who can help.

My notes:


15

Major works

Section 4

B3Living is responsible for the

maintenance of the building

and estate where your leasehold

property is situated, as set out in

the lease.

Maintenance can include small

scale works such as replacing a

communal front door or a roof

tile. It may also include larger

items such as external

decoration, roof renewal or the

replacement of windows. These

types of works are called

“qualifying works” or more

commonly known as “major

works”.

Contracts for the provision of

services may be entered into by

B3Living. If the contract is for a

period of more than 12 months

this is called a “qualifying long-

term agreement”.

Before B3Living carries out major

works, relevant consultation must

be made. This happens when

the cost to any one leaseholder

is more than £250 or B3Living

enters into a contract for a

period of more than 12 months

where the cost is more than £100

in any one year. The relevant

consultation is as follows:

notice of intention

We write to all leaseholders and

recognised residents associations

with a Notice of Intention to

carry out works.

The Notice of Intention will

include the following:

l Description of works in

general terms

l State reasons why the works

are necessary

l Invite comments regarding

the works in writing within 30

days of the notice and give a

date by which the comments

must be received

l Provide the address where

comments must be sent to


l Invite individual leaseholders

and recognised residents

associations to nominate a

contractor of their choice

within 30 days of the date of

the notice.

B3Living considers all

observations sent to us. However,

as we are responsible under the

terms of the lease to maintain

the building, we can still

proceed with works.

To obtain estimates we will:

l Invite contractors to supply

estimates for the work

(include one nomination from

leaseholders and a

nomination from the

recognised residents

association if received and

approved by B3Living).

l Write and give reasons for not

including a nominated

contractor.

l Write to all leaseholders again

when we have received all of

the estimates for the work.

notice of Estimate

We write to all leaseholders and

recognised residents associations

with a Notice of Estimate.

The Notice of Estimate will

include the following:

l Landlord’s Paragraph B

Statement

l Details of at least two

estimates

l A summary of the written

comments received in

response to the Notice of

Intention regarding the works

and our response

l Make the estimates available

for inspection and specify a

place and time at which the

estimates can be inspected

l Invite written comments on

the estimates within 30 days

and give a date by which the

comments must be received

l Respond to any written

comments received within 30

days regarding the estimates.

16

Leasehold Handbook


Section 4 - Major works

17

When a contractor has been

chosen

If the contract is not made with

the lowest contractor or

nominated contractor we will

write and give the reasons for

awarding the contract within 21

days of entering into the

contract. We will also supply a

summary of any written

comments that have been

received and our responses to

them. This will only be in cases

where the contract is not made

with a nominated contractor or

the lowest tender

When the works are completed

and the contractor has been

paid, we will:

Send an invoice to all

leaseholders detailing the

amounts payable.

A management fee for major

works is added to your invoice,

which includes:

l Carrying out the statutory

consultation process with

leaseholders

l Answering queries about

major works

l Calculating and billing the

service charges for these

works

l The complete overseeing of

the contract from the time of

drawing up the specification

to the practical completion

being signed off

Please note, it is not unusual for

leaseholders in the same block

to receive different invoice

amounts for major works.

Leaseholders purchase their

properties at different times and

the provisions detailed for major

works will vary and therefore the

costs will vary.

Leaseholder challenges to

major works

Legislation states that the costs

and scope of the works should

be reasonable and works should

be carried out to a reasonable

standard. You have the right to

challenge the reasonableness of

either the cost (including fees) or

the standard of the works.

We ask that you contact us first

to challenge any charges.


However, a formal challenge

can be made at any time during

the major works process and the

forum for this challenge is the

Leasehold Valuation Tribunal

(LVT). You do not need to have

legal representation to take a

matter to the LVT. However,

because the process can be

fairly complex, it is often

advisable to seek legal advice.

Details of the Leasehold

Valuation Tribunal are provided

at the end of this booklet.

Paying for major works

We understand the financial

burden of contributing for major

works so we have a range of

payment options including

interest free payments. Full

details will be sent with the

invoice.

Leasehold Handbook

18

My notes:


19

Buildings insurance

Section 5

We insure the building where you

live. This is because we are still

responsible for the upkeep,

repair and maintenance of the

structure and communal areas

and it would be very difficult to

have more than one insurance

company. You pay for the

buildings insurance within your

annual service charge.

Making a claim

The summary of cover that is sent

to you annually and provides

contact details for making a

claim.

contents insurance

Our policy does not cover the

contents of your flat in any way.

We do recommend that you

arrange insurance to cover your

contents. You can get further

advice from your bank or

building society or from an

insurance broker. If you sublet

your property you may need

additional Landlords Insurance.

National Housing Federation

My Home Contents Insurance scheme

Ask your housing provider for an information pack or telephone 0845 337 2463

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B3Living, as landlord, is

responsible for maintaining the

structure of your building and

any communal areas. As a

leaseholder you must contribute

your share towards these costs.

Repairs and maintenance inside

your property is the responsibility

of the leaseholder(s).

The exact responsibilities for

repairs and maintenance may

vary according to the contents

of your lease.

Leaseholder responsibilities

B3Living owns the structure of the

building in which you live. You

are responsible for the interior of

your property and are generally

responsible for the repair and

maintenance of everything

inside your home.

For example, you are responsible

for the following items:

l Individual heating systems

and appliances

l Internal doors

l Sanitary fittings

l Plumbing and pipe work

within the property

l Internal fixtures and fittings

and equipment

l Internal decorations including

the plaster covering on the

walls

l Floor coverings, including floor

tiles and screeds (the layer on

top of the concrete floor,

under the tiles)

l Non structural walls (non load

bearing, internal walls)

l Ceilings, including ceiling

battens

l The window glazing (but not

the frame)

20

Repairs and maintenance

Section 6


Section 6 - Repairs and maintenance

B3Living’s responsibilities

We have a duty to maintain the

structure of the building,

communal areas and services,

for example:

l Foundations

l Roofs and gutters

l External fixtures, fittings and

equipment

l External walls

l Communal ground and paths

l Window frames

l Drying areas

l Communal TV aerials and

equipment

l Main external entrance doors

and furniture

l Communal stairs, walkways,

passages and paths

l Waste pipes and soil pipes

21

See summary of repairresponsibilities overleaf...

We will keep your estate clean and

well maintained.


Leasehold Handbook

22

Item Who is responsible

B3Living Leaseholder

Structure of building

Roofs ✓

Gutters ✓

Structural walls ✓

Soil pipes ✓

Lifts ✓

Main entrance door ✓

Balconies ✓

Communal Areas

Communal gardens ✓

Communal TV aerial ✓

Door entry system ✓

Paths and gates ✓

Store sheds ✓ ✓ With door

Communal lighting ✓

Doors

Doors inside property ✓

Front door frame ✓

Front door ✓

Front door handles and locks ✓

Windows (if installed by B3Living)

Window frame ✓

Window glazing ✓

Window locks and handles ✓

Services

Water supply in property ✓

Drains & pipes up to property ✓

Gullies ✓

Cables & wires outside property ✓

Main storage tank (serving more than one property) ✓

Summary of repair responsibilities



Responsibilities for pipes

and wiring

B3Living owns and will maintain

the following:

l The pipes supplying the mains

water, from the water

company’s stopcock outside

the block, up to and

including, the main stopcock

in individual flats; or, where

there is a communal water

storage tank for the whole

building, the gate valve in

the flat.

l Gas pipes within the block, up

to but not including, the gas

meter in flats

l Electricity cables within the

block, up to but not including,

the electricity meters in flats.

l Wiring for communal TV and

radio within the block, up to

and including, the aerial

socket(s) provided in the

properties.

How do i ask for a repair?

You can report any repair during

normal opening hours 8.30am to

5.30 pm Monday to Thursday

and 8.30am to 5pm Friday.

On the last Thursday in the

month our offices are shut from

3.30pm to 4.30pm for staff

training.

l Telephone

0800 107 0712 or 01992 453700

l Email to

[email protected]

l Visit our website

www.b3living.org.uk and

report a repair online

l in person at our offices at

Scania House in Hoddesdon

If the problem has been caused

by crime, please report it to the

police and give us the crime

reference number.

All of our staff, contractors and

agents have identification –

please ask to see this before

letting anyone into your home.

information for out of hours

repairs

If you have an emergency

repair, you can report it out of

hours by calling 01992 639 561.

Do not report it online. Our

response time for emergency

repairs is 24 hours and we aim to

have the problem resolved in this

time. Please note, we may only

23


Leasehold Handbook

be able to make the area safe

during an out of hours call and

so the repair may have to be

completed the following day or

a time suitable to you.

Repair priorities

We prioritise our repairs in order

of urgency:

Emergency

If your repair is an emergency,

we aim to attend within 2 hours

to make safe. This will exclude

severe weather when it may be

dangerous for an operative to

make safe. If work can be

completed at this time, it will be.

Otherwise we will aim to

complete the repair within 24

hours if this is possible.

Examples of an emergency are:

l Dangerous structures

l Dangerous wiring

l Burst supply pipes

When assessing if a repair is an

emergency we will take into

account the circumstances of

vulnerable residents (the very

old, very young or medical

circumstances) and will exercise

discretion.

Routine

This category is for all other

repairs and the timescale is

dependent on residents,

operatives, and materials

availability.

General emergencies and

problems

In an emergency you need to

act quickly to keep problems

under control and minimise

damage, whether the repair is

your responsibility or ours. If

possible, stop the immediate

problem and then call for help

to put it right.

If your water, electricity or gas

supply fails totally, call the

appropriate utility supplier to

check whether there has been a

general supply failure.

General emergency numbers

are listed on page 52. Please

alert your neighbours if a

situation could be dangerous for

them.

24



What happens if i do not repair

and maintain my home?

B3Living may require you to carry

out repairs for which you are

responsible as a leaseholder. A

notice will be served giving a

date by which the repairs must

be completed. If you fail to

meet the timescale B3Living has

the right to enter your flat to

carry out these works on your

behalf and recharge you the

cost of these works plus an

administration fee.

damp and condensation

B3Living will need to ensure that

the damp is not due to

condensation from conditions

inside your property.

Condensation occurs when

warm, moist air meets a cold

surface such as a window, mirror

or wall and causes water

droplets to form. The risk of

condensation depends on how

moist the air is and how cold the

surfaces of the room are. How

you ventilate and heat your

home will affect the level of

condensation.

By using the guidelines below,

you can substantially decrease

the level of condensation that

you have in your home:

l Putting lids on saucepans

when being used

l Drying clothes outside and

not on radiators or clothes

airers

l If using a tumble dryer, make

sure it is vented to the outside

l Put a small amount of cold

water in the bath before

running the hot tap

l Do not run your shower for

longer than needed

l Mop up any condensation or

water everyday

l Do not leave kettles boiling

l Avoid using flueless bottled

gas heaters. One gallon of

gas produces about a gallon

of water vapour.

Heat your home:

l Heat more evenly – low level

of heating all day rather than

quick blasts. This should also

reduce your heating bills

l Use thermostats to control

your heating

25


Leasehold Handbook

l Avoid using bottle gas or

paraffin heaters

Stop water vapour spreading:

l Shut the kitchen and

bathroom doors when

bathing and cooking

l Use extractor fans or open a

window

Ventilate your home:

l Keep a small window partially

open or trickle vents open at

all times to allow flow of air

l Ventilate kitchens and

bathrooms when in use by

opening windows to remove

the humid air

l Use extractor fans if you have

them

l Make sure other doors are

closed, especially bedroom

doors as they are normally

slightly colder and will attract

moisture

l Ventilate cupboards and

wardrobes and avoid putting

too much in them as it stops

air circulating

l Do not put wardrobes or beds

against external walls

l Keep other furniture away

from walls to allow air to

circulate

l Open windows in the kitchen

and bathroom when cooking,

washing up, bathing or drying

clothes

In cold weather, the best way to

keep rooms warm enough to

avoid condensation is to keep

low background heating on all

day, even when there is no one

at home. This is very important in

flats where the bedrooms are

not above a warm living room.

dealing with mould

Treat any mould you have in

your property by washing walls

and window frames with anti

fungicidal wash using gloves and

follow manufacturers guide lines.

If you do this and follow the

other advice above, mould

should not reappear.

The only lasting way to avoid

severe mould is to reduce the

humidity in the air and

condensation by properly

heating and ventilating your

home.

26


The window frames form part of

the structure of the building.

Should you wish to replace your

windows, written permission must

be sought from B3Living prior to

the work being undertaken.

Permission will normally be

granted where the proposed

installation is in accordance with

B3 LIiving standard specification

and configuration and in

keeping with your block.

All glazing in windows is the

responsibility of the leaseholder.

27

Responsibility for windows

Section 7

My notes:


If you fulfill certain criteria, you

can ask for a lease extension.

The price is agreed between you

and B3Living, or if this is not

possible, set by the Leasehold

Valuation Tribunal (LVT). The usual

extension term is 90 years. To

exercise your right to extend

your lease, you first need to

check that you meet the

appropriate criteria. For

example:

l Have you owned your flat for

the last two years

l Do you have a long lease of

over 21 years

l Did you buy your flat through

a shared ownership scheme

l If you have inherited the

lease, are you applying to

extend within two years of the

grant of probate.

If you meet the appropriate

criteria then you can notify us in

writing that you wish to extend

your lease, stating the price you

are offering.

We then will reply within two

months of receiving your

notification letting you know if

we are either:

l Accepting your right and the

price offered, or

l Accepting your right and

proposing another price, or

l Stating why you cannot apply

for a lease extension.

Up to two months are allowed

for negotiations on the price. If

after the two months nothing has

been agreed, either you or we

can apply to the LVT to settle the

price and any other issues.

Buying the freehold

Leaseholders may have the right

to buy the freehold of the

building as a group in certain

situations.

28

Lease extension

Section 8


Section 8 - Lease extension

This is known as “collective

enfranchisement”. There is

certain criteria that your block

must meet in order to qualify to

buy the freehold including:

l At least two-thirds of the

residents in your block, must

be leaseholders

l At least half of the

leaseholders in the block must

be willing to buy

For example if there are 12

flats/maisonettes in your block at

least eight must belong to

leaseholders and at least six

would need to join in buying the

freehold.

There are some things you should

consider if you purchase the

freehold:

l All residents in the block will

be responsible for the

maintenance, management

and all associated costs.

l You will no longer be able to

contact B3Living as they will

no longer be your landlord.

For more information please

contact LEASE (details supplied

in useful contacts).

29

My notes:


A sub-tenant is someone who

rents your property when you are

not living there.

You must notify the Home

Ownership Team if you are

subletting your property and a

registration form will be issued to

you. You are also responsible for

letting the Home Ownership

Team know of your new address

so that the service charge

invoices can be sent to you.

It would also be useful if you

gave us a contact telephone

number in case of emergencies.

You will still be responsible for

paying your service charge even

if you charge it to your tenant as

part of the rent they pay you.

You will need to make sure that

your tenant keeps to all the

conditions which are in your

lease. You are responsible for the

behaviour of any person(s) to

whom you sub-let and B3Living

may advise you if it becomes

aware of any breach of the

lease conditions. It is in your

interest to be aware of any

breach as soon as possible to

avoid legal action. You can

consider seeking legal advice on

the importance of having a

proper tenancy agreement.

30

Subletting your property

Section 9


Section 9 - Subletting your property

Useful contacts are at the back

of this booklet.

It is important the tenancy

agreement between you and

the tenant conforms to the lease

agreement you hold with

B3Living.

If you sublet your property you

are responsible for ensuring that

you hold adequate Landlords

Insurance and that you also

carry out essential checks as a

responsible landlord, for

example annual gas safety

inspection with valid CP12

certificate which you should

issue to your tenants.

31

My notes:


Selling your home

You must ensure that your

purchaser is aware of the

conditions in the lease and

all matters affecting the property

that you have become aware of

during your ownership.

It is important to keep all

consultation papers, service

charge invoices and other

correspondence concerning the

management and maintenance

of the property. If you fail to

divulge information that you are

aware of to a prospective

purchaser, you may be liable

under the terms of your sale

contract.

Under your lease, your solicitor

must let us have a copy of the

legal documents transferring the

lease within 28 days of sale. Until

we are notified in writing,

demands for service charges

and ground rent will still be sent

to you after the sale.

Service charges

We do not apportion service

charges upon sale as this is the

responsibility of your solicitor.

Please ensure that your solicitors

keep an appropriate amount of

money to pay for any future

service charge invoices that

may be due.

32

Moving home

Section 10


Section 10 - Moving home

Paying back the Right to Buy

discount

If you applied to purchase your

home on or after 18th January

2005 the amount of discount

repayable will be based on the

increase in the sale value of the

property since the right to buy

sale and the repayment period

will be five years.

The five-year repayment period

will be calculated as follows:

l Within Year 1 - Full discount

repayable

l Within Year 2 - Four fifths of the

discount is repayable

l Within Year 3 - Three fifths of

the discount is repayable

l Within Year 4 - Two fifths of the


l Within Year 5 - One fifth of the


l After 5 Years - No discount is

repayable

The following gives an indication

of who to advise when moving in

or out of a property.

33

Moving in and outchecklist...


Leasehold Handbook

Moving in and out checklist:

Careful organisation and

forward planning can minimise

the stress of moving house. Use

our moving checklist with our

‘who to notify’ checklist to guide

you through the six weeks

leading up to the moving day.

34

Six weeks before the move Tick: date:

Confirm the date of your move

Notify your landlord of your moving date

Check your home insurance - make sure you have coverfrom the day you move in to your new home.

Obtain written quotes from several removal firms. Getreferences and check the limits of their insurance.

If you're not using professional removers, ask friends to help.

Book extra storage space if required.

Notify the relevant utility companies of your departure.

Start getting rid of possessions you no longer need. Decidewhich items can be taken to a charity shop, sold at carboot sale, or offered to your friends.

If you need new furniture or carpets - order them now andarrange delivery for when you move in.


Section 10 - Moving home

35

Two weeks before moving Tick: date:

Notify Council Tax

Notify Benefits for Income Support / Tax Credit etc

Notify Hospital

Notify your television, Internet, telephone provider

Notify your workplace

Start packing non-essential items such as books and non-seasonal clothes into boxes.

De-register from your doctor, dentist and optician if you'removing out of the area.

One week before moving Tick: date:

Visit the post office and arrange for your post to beforwarded (you will be charged a fee for this service).

Notify your milkman and newspaper shop that you'll bemoving and give them a date you want the service tostop.

If you have children or pets, arrange for someone to lookafter them during the move.

Make a list of everyone who should know about the move.Send out change of address cards.

Finalise arrangements with your removal company.Confirm arrival times and make sure your removers havedirections to your new address.

Arrange a time to collect the keys for your new home fromthe estate agent.

Notify then bank of any changes to direct debits andstanding orders.


Leasehold Handbook

36

On the day Tick: date:

Take Electricity meter reading

Take Gas meter reading

Take Water meter reading


Amendments or changes that

you need to let us know about

If you marry or change your

name you will need to provide

us with a copy of your marriage

certificate or deed poll.

In the event of the death of any

of the parties to the lease you

will need to provide a copy of

the death certificate. It may also

be necessary for you to provide

details of the Executors name

and address. Providing this

information to us can minimise

any distress caused in mail being

sent out in the wrong names.

Health, safety and security

Escape routes

Escape routes must be kept

clear at all times. Escape doors

must not be secured with

unauthorised padlocks or chains

as this could delay the escape

for residents or visitors to the

building. Please do not wedge

open spring-loaded, self-closing

doors. These doors have been

fitted in some key positions in our

buildings and are fire resistant

where applicable. When closed

they stop fire and smoke

spreading and it is for this reason

that they must be kept closed at

all times. Do not disconnect or

remove the self-closing

mechanism fitted to doors and

frames.

Fire doors

Your individual front door is your

responsibility. In order to comply

with the Fire Regulatory Order

2005, any door that opens onto

the communal hallway must be

a FD30S fire resisting door to

provide 30 minutes integrity from

fire and be capable of limiting

the passage of smoke.

Hazardous chemicals

You can not use a portable oil,

paraffin or gas appliances or

store any flammable materials

such as gas, paraffin or oil in the

property.

37

Living in your home and neighbourhood

Section 11


Leasehold Handbook

Water leaks

If possible, turn off the water at

the mains stopcock (stop valve),

which may be located inside

your property or in the

communal hallway. Stopcocks

should be clearly labelled to

help in identification. We suggest

that you check where the

stopcocks are before you have

a problem. Please note, there

may be more than one.

Gas

If you suspect a gas leak, call

Transco immediately on: 0800

111 999. There is no charge for

calls to this number or for

investigating gas leaks.

Do not:

l Turn electric switches on or off

l Smoke or use a naked flame

Do:

l Call Transco’s Gas Emergency

Service

l Turn off your gas supply by

turning off the tap at the

meter

l Open doors and windows to

get rid of the gas

l Put out naked flames

l Check that the pilot light on

the boiler is out

l Keep people away from the

area affected

l Listen to your gas supplier who

will advise you on what further

action you should take

important note about gas

appliances

It is very important that your gas

appliances are properly

maintained. We strongly advise

you to have them serviced

annually. You may consider

having a service contract with a

reputable GAS SAFE approved

contractor, which will provide

regular servicing, and

maintenance for any gas

installation.

You may also consider the

installation of a carbon

monoxide detector.

Smoke detectors

We recommend that you

consider installing at least one

smoke detector in your home. It

is worth taking advice on the

type of smoke detector to install

38


Section 11 - Living in your home and neighbourhood

and where to put them. If you

have a smoke detector please

remember to change the

batteries regularly and make

sure the detector is in working

order.

Anti-social behaviour

Under your lease agreement you

are responsible for making sure

that you, people living in your

home, visitors, sub-tenants

(where applicable) and pets do

not cause:

l A nuisance to neighbours or

l Any kind of harassment that

interferes with their peace

and comfort or which offends

them.

What you should do if you

experience anti-social

behaviour

You should try and speak to your

neighbour to resolve any

problems if you feel

comfortable. This will often settle

problems at an early stage. You

can also report anti-social

behaviour to B3Living.

Storage in communal areas is

not permitted under any

circumstances. Stairs, landings,

entrances and passageways

must be kept clear of obstruction

at all times. Grounds and

gardens must not be used for

personal storage

Private gardens

Some leasehold properties were

sold individual gardens and the

responsibility to maintain

gardens and fences are marked

with an inward facing ‘T’ on the

lease plan. You must keep front

and rear garden areas (if any) of

the flat in a tidy condition and

any grass mown.

You must not use any grassed

areas for anything else other

than a lawn. You must not

damage any tree or shrubs that

may have been planted by the

Broxbourne Borough Council or

B3Living.

Please refer to your lease to

determine your individual

responsibilities.

39


Leasehold Handbook

Parking

You must not park or give

permission for cars to be parked

on the property other than in the

area (if any) set aside for

parking. You must also not park

or give permission to be parked

any caravans, boats, lorry trailers

or large vans within the

boundary of the property.

Business or trade at your flat

You are allowed to run a

business from your home as long

as you seek our permission. We

will give permission as long as we

feel that the business is unlikely to

cause nuisance or annoyance

to your neighbours or damage

your property. Some examples of

businesses we will not allow are:

Car and maintenance, printing,

shops and businesses that use

hydraulic equipment or

controlled substances or

chemicals

Alterations

You can make alterations to your

property. However, you must get

permission from us in writing

before you alter the external

appearance of the flat, change

any internal structure of the flat

or erecting any building or

structure. You may also require

planning or building regulation

approval for these types of work.

noise

All residents are entitled to enjoy

their property and should ensure

that noise does not cause

annoyance in the

neighbourhood or be heard

outside your home. You need to

ensure that any domestic

machinery or DIY equipment is

used at reasonable times i.e. not

early morning or at night.

Keeping pets

You are able to keep an animal

as long as it does not cause a

nuisance or annoyance to your

neighbours and that you do not

allow any animal in your care to

foul in shared areas outside the

property.

40


Section 11 - Living in your home and neighbourhood

You need to ensure that all dogs

are kept on leads and under

proper control anywhere outside

of your home and on B3Living

land.

Please bear in mind the

sensitivities of other residents,

especially children and the harm

that can be caused by not

cleaning up after your pets.

Laminate and hard-wood

flooring

If you live above someone you

must have written permission

from B3Living if you wish to install

laminate or hard wood flooring

in your home.

If your floor covering needs to be

lifted to access services i.e.

pipes, you are responsible for

lifting it and for any damage

caused to it.

Smoking

Smoking is not permitted in any

communal area.

Refuse and recycling

l Rubbish should be disposed of

carefully

l You will put all rubbish in

appropriate bin bags and

dispose of it in the bin chute

containers or communal bin

areas used for this purpose

l You must place only

recyclable products in the

recycling bins

l You must not throw refuse or

any other items from the

windows of the flat

Aerials

You must not erect any external

reception or transmission aerial

including television aerials,

satellite dishes or any other

apparatus on the property, flat

or any part of the block.

Most blocks have communal

television aerials which have

been upgraded to digital which

means that you can access SKY

TV, SKY PLUS TV and digital radio

channels.

41


Leasehold Handbook

door entry systems

We have put door entry systems

into many of our buildings to

make them more secure by

controlling who enters into the

building.

To help maintain security:

l Make sure the door is locked

behind you.

l Only allow someone to come

in if you are certain they are a

genuine visitor.

l Never leave the entrance

door propped open.

l Try not to let non residents

follow you into the block and

try to make sure they press the

button for the flat they are

visiting.

If you lose your communal door

key, we can provide you with

another but we will have to

charge you.

The door entry systems are

regularly maintained. If there is a

problem or the system needs a

repair, please contact our

offices.

42

My notes:


As a B3Living leaseholder you

can get involved with the

organisation and the community

to help improve our services.

l Resident Involvement

Manager

l Leasehold panel

l Compact meetings

l Resident associations

l Mystery shopping

l Residents’ panel

l Annual residents’ conference

l Community audits

l Home magazine

l Leasehold newsletter

For more details about how to

get involved see our leaflets or

contact the Resident

Participation Manager on

01992 453 700.

43

Getting involved

Section 12


What is a Leasehold property?

When you buy a flat or a

maisonette from B3Living (they

are usually known as the

freeholder) they are usually sold

on a long lease of 125 years.

Your Lease gives you the right to

live in the property for the term

of the lease but you are able to

sell the flat at any time.

i'm a joint Leaseholder, and wish

to transfer the lease into my sole

name?

You will need to contact your

Solicitor, who can arrange a

Notice of Transfer to be sent to

the Home Ownership Team at

B3Living.

i have purchased a Leasehold

property, can i sub-let it?

You can sub-let the property.

However, you must supply your

forwarding address in writing to

the Home Ownership Team.

What happens if i intend to sell

the flat/maisonette?

You must ensure that your

Solicitor contacts the Home

Ownership Team so that your

solicitor is aware of service

charges and future works. All

outstanding monies must be

paid before completion,

otherwise we will not accept any

Notices transferring the property

to the new owner.

What happens if i don’t agree

with what i have been charged

for within my Service charge?

You should firstly contact the

Home Ownership Team to try

and resolve matters. If you still do

not agree with your service

charges, you may consider

taking the matter to the

Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

Either you or B3Living can apply

to the Leasehold Valuation

Tribunal to settle a dispute over

charges.

44

Leasehold Frequently Asked Questions

Section 13


Section 13 - Leasehold Frequently Asked Questions

can i install my own windows?

Yes, leaseholders are permitted

to install their own windows after

obtaining consent from us. For

this there is an administration

fee. Application forms are

available from the Home

Ownership Team.

can you discuss my account

with a relative/partner?

Under the Data Protection Act it

is not possible to discuss your

account with a third party, unless

we have written permission from

yourself.

How do i report a communal

block repair such as a broken

light within the stairwell?

You will need to contact the

Customer Service Centre on

01992 453 750 and give full

details of the repair. You can also

email customer services at

[email protected], or go

on to our website

www.b3living.org.uk

They will then raise a report and

give you a reference number

that should be quoted should

any queries arise at a later date.

You will also be supplied with an

estimated timescale for the

repair to be carried out.

i have an issue with my

neighbours, what can i do?

In the first instance please try to

resolve the matter with your

neighbour. However, if you are

not happy to contact them, you

would need to contact the Safer

Communities Team on 01992 453

700 giving full details of the

problem and they will then

investigate the matter on your

behalf.

What will B3Living do about

dumped rubbish in the

communal areas?

You will need to report this to our

Customer Service Centre 01992

453 700 giving details of the

items that have been dumped.

How can i pay my service

charge bill?

Every year, in March, you will

receive an estimated invoice for

the next 12-month period, which

starts on the 1st April. The total

can vary from year to year due

to changes in the cost of

providing materials and services.

45


Leasehold Handbook

l cheque

- Payable to “B3Living Ltd”

l credit or debit card -

Telephone: 01992 453700 or

Freephone 0800 107 0713.

l Personal internet Banking -

Payment via transfer from

your bank account using our

details as follows: Payee:

B3Living; Sort code: 30-99-86;

Account number: 01573497.

Please quote your “customer

account number” as the

reference

l direct debit / Standing Order

– please contact us on 01992

453700 and we can set up

payments by monthly

instalments

l Bar code Payment card

– if you wish to pay cash we

can issue a card that you can

use at numerous outlets.

Contact the Home Ownership

team on 01992 453712 /

453746.

l Payment Kiosk at council

Offices Bishops college

– you can pay cash through

automated kiosk

i’ve just received my annual

service charge invoice and can't

afford to pay this in full, can i pay

in instalments?

Yes, but the account must be

paid in full by the 31st March.

i want to pay by direct debit.

can you take my details over

the phone?

Yes we can take details over the

phone to set up your direct

debit.

i've received an invoice for

major works. What are my

repayment options?

We can arrange for payments to

be made by instalments. Please

contact the Home Ownership

Team on 01992 453 746. Full

details of the range of payment

options will be sent with the

major works invoice

46


Assignment

This is the term used when the

lease is sold on when you sell

your property. The new

leaseholder is the assignee.

Block

The building as described in your

lease in which your flat is

situated.

Building

The block of the building or

estate that can be used by all of

the residents, such as stairs, lifts,

paths, communal gardens etc.

common parts

The parts of the building or

estate that can be used by all of

the residents e.g. stairs. lifts,

paths, communal gardens etc.

comprehensive insurance

Full buildings insurance cover –

all risks.

consultation process

This is the process of asking for

your opinions. Where

practicable, we will consult you

about anything we do that

affects you.

demised premises

That part of the block included

in the lease you have

purchased. This will include your

flat, any garage area and any

gardens which only you can

access.

Estate

Your building and land that you

share facilities such as roads and

communal gardens and grassed

areas

Fixtures

You are responsible for these

items in your home and include

kitchen units, the bathroom suite,

light fittings and any central

heating system.

47

definition of terms

Section 14


Leasehold Handbook

Forfeiture

This means that the lease is

terminated and B3Living as

freeholder can lawfully repossess

the property, require you to

vacate it and dispose of it with

vacant possession.

Freehold

Absolute ownership of property

and land on which it stands.

Ground rent

This is the rent paid to the

landlord during the term of the

lease.

improvement

Doing more work to a property

than is required to satisfy an

obligation to repair, or adding

something that was not there

before.

index linking

Automatic annual increase of a

cost item, such as insurance

cover.

insurance premium

Annual amount paid for

insurance.

Landlord

This refers to the person or

organisation that owns the

freehold of a property and

grants a tenancy or lease to a

tenant or leaseholder. In your

case: the landlord is B3Living.

Lease

The lease is a contract between

the landlord and the leaseholder

that sets out the obligations of

both parties.

Leaseholder

This is the person who has been

granted the lease by the

landlord or to whom the lease

has been assigned.

48


Section 15 - Definition of terms


This is a decision-making body

for service charge disputes

between landlords and

leaseholders. It is a panel of

people with experience of

property disputes such as

solicitors and surveyors.

Lessee

This means the same as a

leaseholder.

Mortgagee

This is a bank or building society

that lent you money so that you

could buy the property.

Rateable value

A property based sum used

originally as a former method of

local taxation but used in this

way as a fair way of

apportioning service charges.

Reinstatement value

Cost of replacing an insured

item.

Section 20 process

This is the consultation process

we must follow if we are

intending to carry out works or

enter into long term contracts for

services that will cost you more

than a sum prescribed by the

legislation.

Section 125 notice

This is the Offer Notice, which is

provided when the lease

is first sold. It contains itemised

details of repairs and

improvements and their

costs. It limits your contribution to

the costs of works during the first

five full financial years after the

original sale of the lease.

Section 146 notice

Notice of breach of the lease

and possible forfeiture.

Service charges

This is a payment made by

leaseholder to a landlord in

return for services and freeholder

charges.

49


Leasehold Handbook

Subletting

This is when you let out part or all

of your home.

Tender

This is the process to get

competitive prices for a large

contract. We invite contractors

to give their price or ‘tender’ for

the work.

50

My notes:


There are several laws and acts

of Parliament, which protect

your rights as a leaseholder,

including:

l Landlord and Tenant Act 1954

l Local Government and

Housing Act 1989 (schedule

10)



l Housing Act 1985

l Housing and Planning Act

1986

l Leasehold Reform, Housing

and Urban Development Act

1993

l Housing Act 1996

l Commonhold and Leasehold

Reform Act 2002

Some of the rights which these

acts of Parliament granted to

leaseholders are:

l The right for most people with

long leases to stay as tenants

at the end of their leases

l Rights in terms of service

charges, consultation about

major work and insurance of

the property

l Limitation of service charges

within the first 5 years of

purchase under the Right

to Buy

l Rights to information about

service charges, and to

challenge levels set

l The right to set up a

recognised tenants'

association

l The right to change their

leases

l The collective right for most

leaseholders to buy their

freehold and the individual

right to renew their leases

l Lease extensions

l Other Leasehold matters

l Buying the freehold; collective

enfranchisement

51

The lease and the law

Section 15


B3Living

Scania House

17 Amwell Street

Hoddesdon

Herts

EN11 8TS

Telephone

01992 453 700

Out of hours repairs emergency

01992 639561

E-mail

[email protected] or

[email protected]

Website

www.b3living.org.uk

Leasehold Advisory Service

The Leasehold Advisory Service

(LEASE) is an independent

agency, which is funded by

government and provides free

advice on leasehold matters

Website

www.lease-advise.org.uk

Telephone

020 7383 9800


The Residential Property Tribunal

Service which incorporates the

Leasehold Valuation Tribunal. The

Leasehold Valuation Tribunal are

appointed to make decisions on

applications relating to major

works, improvements and service

charge disputes.

Website

www.justice.gov.uk

The department for communities

and Local Government

Copies of the Commonhold and

Leasehold Reform Act 2002 can

be obtained from here along

with other free literature. A full list

of booklets is available on the

website.

Website

www.communities.gov.uk

52

Useful contacts

Section 16


Section 1 - Useful contacts

Gas

If you suspect a gas leak, call

Transco immediately on: 0800

111 999. There is no charge for

calls to this number or for

investigating gas leaks.

citizens Advice Bureau (cAB)

The Citizens Advice Bureau offers

free, confidential impartial and

independent Advice on legal,

money, welfare benefit issues

Website

www.citizensadvice.org.uk

Telephone

01992 635 858

consumer credit counselling

Service

Offers you help to deal with

several debts

Telephone

0800 138 1111

Website

www.cccs.co.uk

national debtline

A helpline that provides free

confidential, independent

advice on how to deal with debt

problems

Telephone

0808 808 4000

Website

www.nationaldebtline.co.uk

Shelter

Offers you help with housing,

mortgage debt or problems with

welfare benefits

Telephone free housing advice

helpline on 0808 800 4444 from

8am to 8pm 7 days a week or

you can visit

www.shelter.org.uk/adviceonline

Hertfordshire county council

Offers you help with things from

child benefit to disability

information.

Telephone

0300 1234 040

Website

www.hertsdirect.org.uk

53


Leasehold Handbook

Broxbourne council

Responsible for refuse and

recycling collection, street

cleansing, grounds maintenance

Telephone

01992 785555

Website

www.broxbourne.gov.uk

council Tax Benefit

To find out if you are eligible for

help with your council tax bills

Phone Jobcentre Plus on 0800

055 6688 or visit

www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk or

contact your local Council

income Support, Employment

and Support Allowance and

Jobseeker’s Allowance

For information and advice or to

make a claim

Telphone Jobcentre Plus on

0800 055 6688

Website

www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk

Pension credit

For information and advice or to

make a claim visit your local

Pension Centre or

Phone the Pension Service on

0800 99 1234 or visit

www.thepensionservice.gov.uk

Working Tax credit and

child Tax credit

For more information phone

0845 300 3900 or visit

www.hmrc.gov.uk/taxcredits

Housing Ombudsman Service

81 Aldwych

London

WC2B 4HN

Telephone

0300 111 3000

Website

www.ihos.org.uk

Local Police

Non emergency 101

Hertfordshire Police

0845 3300 222

54


My notes:


Telephone

01992 453 700

E-mail

[email protected]

Website

www.b3living.org.uk

Scania House, 17 Amwell Street, Hoddesdon EN11 8TS

Published in 2012 by:B3Living

www.b3living.org.uk/publications

You can alsodownload this leaflet

via our website at:

English

Turkish

italian

Portuguese

Greek

Arabic

Help with understanding this information

rsa, lütfen 01992 453

Se avete bisogno di aiuto per capire le informazioni contenute nel presente documento, siete pregati di telefonare allo 01992 453 700. Possiamo inoltre f

Caso necessite de ajuda para compreender a informação contida neste documento, telefone para o 01992 453 700. Podemos também fornecê-lo em t

if you need help to understand the information in this document, please

phone 01992 453 700.

SMELL GAS? RinG TRAnScO iMMEdiATELy On 0800 111 999

Address

B3Living

Scania House

17 Amwell Street

Hoddesdon

Herts EN11 8TS

Telephone 01992 453 700

Out of hours repairs emergency 01992 639561

E-mail [email protected]

or [email protected]

Website www.b3living.org.uk


B3 LEASEHOLDERS HANDBOOK FINAL Lao 1 20/11/2012 …personal information that we hold about you, in...

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Transcript of B3 LEASEHOLDERS HANDBOOK FINAL Lao 1 20/11/2012 …personal information that we hold about you, in...