Your guide for flats and maisonettes
As a flat or maisonette owner you benefit from Buildmark cover, but it’s important to understand how the cover works for parts of the building you may share with your neighbours.
Buildmark cover for your home
What are shared parts?
These are the communal parts of the property that you share with other people, eg a communal staircase or a shared wall. As the owner of your home, you are required to contribute an amount towards the cost of repairs and maintenance of these shared parts, which will normally be explained in the terms of your lease.
What are the differences between the cover for my home and the cover for shared parts of the building?
Your Buildmark policy covers both your home (the flat or maisonette you own) and the shared parts of the building (eg a communal staircase or a shared wall).
The main difference is how long the builder warranty lasts.
Your home - The builder warranty lasts for two years from the date of legal completion of the first purchase of your home.
Shared parts - The builder warranty lasts for three years from the completion date of the first home that shares those parts.
Once the respective builder warranty period ends for your home and for the shared parts, NHBC insurance cover applies for a further eight years.
For full details of what is and isn’t covered, please refer to your policy documents or contact us.
What if you identify an issue within a shared part of the building?
During the builder warranty period, contact your builder in the first instance. If you have a Managing Agent that looks after your building, we’d also recommend making them aware of any issues you have.
If you are ever unsure on what cover you have or who you should contact about an issue with your home that is more than two years old, you can contact us and we will be able to advise you.
Contact us
If you have an urgent request, please contact our Customer Services team who will be able to provide assistance.
Customer Services
We are available: Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00.
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Find your policy
If you have your policy number to hand, you can easily download the policy booklet that applies to your home.