Make a claim for a Qualifying Repair

If you would like to be reimbursed for a Qualifying Repair, you can begin the application process here (up to a maximum of £500 per year for the first 10 years).

To submit a claim please click the below button to begin the webform.

Apply now

FAQs

This will be explained by your solicitor and Sales Consultant, but we have also included a logo on all new model leases.

If your lease mentions a qualifying repairs period and also has a term of at least 990 years, you will be a new shared ownership model lease customer.

No, only in exceptional circumstances will we be able to reimburse a claim retrospectively.

We may reimburse you retrospectively for an emergency repair such as a leak (and only if the property is not within the defect period).

The government recommend TrustMark approved traders for a claim to be eligible for reimbursement. If you cannot find a TrustMark approved trader in your area for the repair you require, please contact us to discuss this.

Each case will be looked at individually but there is no guarantee we can reimburse claims where a non-TrustMark trader has been used.

You can carry any unspent allowance (up to £500) into the following year but cannot roll it over again. The maximum allowance in any one year will be £1,000.

 

Example: you can claim up to £500 per year, rolling over a maximum of £1,000 in a two-year period. You can only claim a maximum of £500 during year 1. If you claim £0 in year 1, £500 will roll over to year 2, giving you an allowance of £1,000 for the duration of year 2. If you do not claim anything during this period, the amount ‘resets’ to £500 in year 3 etc. 

In order to initiate a claim, you must first complete the pre-approval claim form and provide a quote from a TrustMark trader.

Your claim will start after your repair has been completed and once you have submitted the required information to us (invoice/receipt from a TrustMark Trader, photographs).

From the point of receiving all the necessary information, we aim to reimburse claims within 7 working days.

We will confirm your repairs allowance once per year and after each claim reimbursement.

Before carrying out work, you must check you can claim for the repair and provide: 

  • A photograph of the repair/issue
  • A quote from a TrustMark registered trader to complete the work. 

 

Once we receive your claim, we’ll check through all the information you give us.  We may need to ask you for more information to review your claim.  If your claim is accepted, then for non-structural claims we’ll let you know and confirm the remaining balance of your allowance. We’ll also ask you for important information about the evidence you’ll need to send us after the work is completed. 

 

Once your claim has been approved and you have completed the qualifying repair, you must provide the following information in order to be reimbursed:

  • a photograph of the repair/issue (now resolved)
  • a receipt or invoice from a TrustMark registered trader

 

Once we have approved your claim, we will request your bank details in order to make the payment. Please do not provide your bank details until we have requested this from you.

Please note, we are unable to reimburse claims without evidence such as an invoice or receipt from a TrustMark registered trader.

Yes, you can claim costs up to a maximum of your remaining balance for the year as long as it is for a qualifying repair.

If you have an invoice including multiple repairs but only some are qualifying repairs, that is okay as long as the invoice is itemised and clearly highlights the repair you are claiming for and the individual cost.

Yes, you can claim back costs up to £500 per year, even if your actual costs exceed more than this. Please refer to question and answer number 4 for an example.

Please note, we will only consider retrospective claims where work has been done in an emergency.

Should you experience something like a major leak or no heating or hot water during winter and your home is not within the defect period, you should contact our Builders Insurance provider in the first instance. More information is below in section 14.

You can then make a claim to be reimbursed the buildings insurance excess.

No. We will not reimburse claims for works which have already been carried out unless it is an emergency and a qualifying repair. Please do not assume your repair will be covered as it only applies to a small number of qualifying repairs.

If your home is within the defect period, you must follow the usual defects reporting process and if there is a warranty or insurance in place, you will be expected to exhaust these first (LiveWest can cover the cost of insurance or warranty excesses, up to the remaining balance for the year).

If you claim is not approved, we will provide you with the reasoning at the same time. If you are unhappy with our decision, you can appeal.

Yes, you can. If you do not agree with the decision, you have the right to appeal. An appeal request must be made within 15 working days of the date of the decision communication. An appeal can be made by you in writing or by telephone and the reasons for appealing the decision must be made clear. The appeal will usually be acknowledged without delay by our admin team along with the timescales for a full response, usually no longer than 10 working days or as agreed with you.

An Area Manager will carry out a full review including speaking with you before making a determination. The manager will look at the paperwork or additional information submitted when making the decision on the appeal, they will then inform you of the decision in writing within 10 working days, or the timescale agreed with you.

No, we cannot reimburse claims for accidental damage.

We also cannot reimburse claims for fair wear and tear, alterations, improvements, redecoration or any work which is required as a result of any breach of the obligations of the shared owner including misuse etc.

In every instance, if a warranty or insurance is in place to cover the repair, this must be exhausted. This is because the new shared ownership model lease states:

Shared owners cannot claim a contribution towards the costs of a Qualifying General Repair in respect of any work covered under a warranty, insurance policy or guarantee, although any excess payable can be claimed by the shared owner.

For example, your windows or boiler etc. will have a separate warranty whereas LiveWest are obligated to insure the property and you may be able to claim through this policy e.g., making good damage caused following a leak. LiveWest will reimburse excesses for qualifying repairs.

For any structural issues, there will be a new home guarantee in place which LiveWest register on your behalf.

For appliance or component warranties, it is essential to register any warranties and ensure you comply with the terms, such as having your boiler serviced annually by a qualified Gas safe engineer.  If you fail to register such warranties (that are your responsibility), LiveWest cannot reimburse you for any associated claims.

Not unless the repair is a qualifying repair but is not a defect, which will be in very limited circumstances. If your home is within the defect period, you will be expected to follow the usual reporting procedure and wait for the developer to make good.

Within the defects period, all defects whether structural or not should be reported to our Aftercare Team for the developer to respond to. All shared ownership properties will have an end of defect inspection and it is crucial you make time for the appointment as it is your responsibility to ensure all defects are reported. Any issues raised within the first year which are defects and will be attended to by the developer, are not eligible for reimbursement even if it is a qualifying repair.

No, this has been introduced by the government for new shared ownership model lease shared owners only.

As a shared owner, you remain responsible for all repairs internally and if the repair (or item you want to claim for) is not a qualifying repair, you cannot claim for reimbursement. You will need to arrange and fund the repair yourself. Please note, there are some alterations and improvements which will require permission.

You are not permitted to make any alteration or addition of a non-structural nature to the interior of the premises without the prior written consent of the Landlord (such consent not to be unreasonably withheld). LiveWest will not be responsible for reimbursing the cost of any repairs associated with alterations and improvements made by the shared owner. Permission to carry out changes while the property is within the defect period are unlikely to be granted.

Within the defects period, all defects whether structural or not should be reported to our Aftercare Team for the developer to respond to.

If you have a structural repair or issue which you need to report after the defect period has ended, this will not come out of your £500 yearly allowance as LiveWest are responsible for the structure of the property for the first ten years and we will progress such claims on your behalf with the relevant new home warranty provider (which includes LiveWest paying for any excess if applicable).

To report a structural repair or issue, please call 0300 123 8080 or report this to us online by visiting the Structural Repairs page.