When you have a block of flats or you have a series of rental properties that share a communal stairwell and hallway there can be a number of issues generated by whose responsibility it is to keep it clean and tidy. This is where the question of a leasehold property comes into play. When you purchase a flat it generally has a lease. Unlike a freehold property where you own the plot as well, these leaseholds involve certain parts of the building that do not belong to you. As a result, somebody has to ensure that these parts of the building are kept clean. There is a degree of health and safety in this that has to be observed.
This is why you may find additional costs in terms of ground rent and maintenance fees on top of the rent or mortgage that you pay for the flat. The owner of the freehold of the entire property may well wish to look at using a Commercial Cleaners Belfast based company like maccleanni.com/ to make sure that this is ideal at all times and that everyone knows what their responsibilities are.
The cost of this maintenance does not need to be completely prohibitive but you should research it before you make a purchase. Recently it has come to light that many people who have ended up purchasing a leasehold property have found themselves paying for quite extortionate rates of maintenance covering communal areas.