The Government launched a new model of Shared Ownership in 2021.
“NM SO” as it is known, applies to all Shared Ownership homes built under the 21-26 Affordable Homes Programme.
Homes bought through the New Model Shared Ownership scheme are eligible for internal home repairs within the first ten years of the property’s life.
All Shared Ownership homes come with a 10-year warranty, starting from the day Freebridge took ownership of the home.
If your home was bought through the New Model Shared Ownership scheme, you also have the right to claim up to £500 per year for eligible internal 'essential' home repairs. You can do this for the first 10 years that the home was built.
Internal repairs can be:
Installations in the home for the supply of water, gas, electric – this includes basins, sinks, baths and sanitary devices but does not include appliances that make use of the supplies such as washing machines and ovens
Pipes and drainage
Installations in the home for heating and heating water
We do not cover deliberate or avoidable damage.
Find out what is classed as an eligible repair:
Water Supply Installation
Water supply pipework
Eligible:
• Water pipes within your home
• Inside water stop tap
• Isolation valves on water pipes
• Cold water storage tank
Not eligible:
• Pipework that is the responsibility of the water authority or another organisation
Gas Supply Installation
Eligible:
• Gas supply pipes from your gas meter into your home
• Gas supply pipes up to an appliance connection point
Not eligible:
• Gas meters or pipework that are the responsibility of the gas provider or another organisation
• Meter cupboard door
• Oven, hob or cooker
• Kitchen appliances
Electricity Supply Installation
Eligible:
• Wiring from the meter to the consumer unit (fuse box)
• Consumer unit (fuse box)
• All wiring to lights and sockets
• Sockets including wiring and switches
• Wiring to heating or hot water appliances
• Light fittings e.g. as far as the bayonet/screw bulb ceiling rose
Not eligible:
• Electricity meters or wiring that are the responsibility of the electricity provider or another organisation
• Meter cupboard door
• Light shades/covers
• Kitchen appliances
• Oven, hob and cooker
• Appliances you plug into sockets
• Appliances that are hard wired into sockets
Heating Supply Installation
Eligible:
• Boiler - any fuel
• Water source heat pump systems - all parts
• Air source heat pump systems - all parts
• Ground source heat pump systems - all parts
• Solar panels (Photovoltaic systems) - all parts
• Pipework or wiring to radiators, heaters or fixed fires
• Gas or electric fire (not portable)
• Radiators including towel rails (all parts including valves)
• Electric storage heaters
• Under floor heating
• Programmer/timer
• Room thermostat
Not eligible:
• Portable heaters
• Log burners or open fires
• Additional heaters or fires that were installed by you or a previous owner and not the original builder
• Routine maintenance or servicing
Hot Water Supply Installation
Eligible:
• Boiler - any fuel
• Water source heat pump systems - all parts
• Air source heat pump systems - all parts
• Ground source heat pump systems - all parts
• Hot water cylinder
• All pipework or wiring powering the installation
Not eligible:
• Portable appliances
• Routine maintenance or servicing
No, all repair work must be carried out by a Trustmark approved tradesperson. We will not be able to approve any claims if the repair is carried out and invoiced by a non-Trustmark trade contractor.
Find a local, Trustmark approved tradesperson.
Your property comes with a £500 repairs allowance per year, for the first 10 years.
This is not intended to cover all costs or improvements that you will face as a homeowner. However, it is limited to the costs of keeping in repair and proper working order, the fixtures, and fittings that:
It does not include:
If you discover a repair that’s needed in your new home, you’ll need to arrange for it to be fixed and claim the cost, up to the value of £500 for each year of the first ten years of ownership, back from us.
You must use a Trustmark-approved tradesperson.
You first need to fill in a claim form which can be found here.
Depending on your claim, we may send a surveyor to inspect the works required.
If your claim is approved, we will arrange for the cost of the repair to be reimbursed to you once the work is complete.
If you break the terms of your lease, we have the right to refuse to pay for the repair. For example, if you cause damage on purpose or do not keep up with routine servicing and maintenance, such as regular boiler servicing.
Year 1
Repairs allowance: £500
Allowance claimed for repairs: £0
Amount rolled over to next year: £500
Year 2
Repairs allowance: £1000 (£500+£500)
Allowance claimed for repairs: £750
Amount rolled over to next year: £250
Year 3
Repairs allowance: £750 (£500+£250)
Allowance claimed for repairs: £0
Amount rolled over to next year: £500
We will send an annual repairs allowance statement, so you can keep track of your remaining allowance.
Please be aware that if you sell your home within the first ten years, the remaining balance will transfer to the new shared owner of the property.
No, nothing changes for these customers.