This reluctance is because where a few individual flat-owners share a freehold, they are not always rigorous about carrying out repairs and maintenance to the fabric of the property, each of them possibly hoping that they will have moved out before major work and the associated expense are absolutely necessary. Often, even though their leases require them to set aside money for future major repairs, they fail to do so. Obviously, building societies and banks are not too kean to lend money on property that might lose its value in the longer term.