-
Buying a home with asbestos in it...
So, story goes I'm a (somewhat aged) first-time buyer in Cambridge, a popular city with a very hot property market at the moment. After having looked for a place of my own since May, I am in the final stage of negotiations for a ground maisonette south-east of the city, with a stunning garden included. I've had a building…
-
Can I get my money back?
In 2013, I gave £500 to an estate agent as deposit to rent a studio. After 5 days, and because he refused to get me a chair (it was supposedly furnished), I cancelled the renting. However, he made me sign a piece of paper (that he falsely told me it's only a receipt) that said that I will lose my deposit if I don't…
-
family member as lodger
My sister has worked abroad for ten years. She is planning to come home at Christmas permanently. She will live with my parents initially who live close to me. I own the house. She has dropped hints that she would like to live at my house as a lodger until she finds her feet. If this happens (and it is a big if) then I…
-
Rent Bournemouth Property
If you are letting a decent 2 bedroom property in Bournemouth (for a reasonable rent not more than £875 pcm) and it is available by 30th Nov, read on. If your property is NOT in a block of flats with communal entry, we would consider it. Phobia prevents such an apartment at present. We would be your perfect tenants. You…
-
Buying an older property with underfloor heating
I've just made an offer to buy a house built by the current owner 20 years ago. It's on a slope and has underfloor heating. Given it's on a slope and the heating was installed over 20 years ago, I'd like to get this checked and I'm not sure who or what sort of survey I would need. Could I get a structural engineer to check…
-
How long?
Evening guys, I'm hoping you can help me.. I posted previously about buying a leasehold flat and I just have a couple of more quick questions. 1. I have received word from my solicitors secretary that they have received draft contracts from the sellers solicitor and that they have sent off for the searches. I am a cash…
-
Section 13 Validity
Hey, Just a quick one I hope Today I've just received a Section 13 notice for rental increase from £475 to £495. Now this tenancy was originally an AST from May 14 - May 15, which has become a periodic tenancy. Now I don't particularly object to the rent increase as I'm preparing to exchange contracts on a house (not…
-
Walls and chimney stack removed WITHOUT building and planning permission
I need urgent help and advice please :cry: We are first time buyers and have just had a Structural survey done. The report highlights and quote as below: Internal alterations include the removal of the wall between the entrance and hall and the front living room. Verify whether all relevant Planning and Building regulation…
-
Payment holiday
Hi, Does taking a payment holiday affect anything with regards to your credit? We have bought our new house (and moved in) and our sale is currently going through. We are expecting our sale to be completed by 27th November but as they haven't exchanged there is of course no confirmation of this. We would ideally like to…
-
Setting up a deed of variation, how hard can it be?
I've reached an impasse in my purchase and i'm trying to get a sense of how difficult it would be to remedy. Basically the lease wasn't registered correctly with the land registry. It's the same lease as all the other flat, but where they are meant to put in the details of which one of the 100+ it is (number floor etc)…
-
Deregulation Act
Article on Landlord Zone states... "All new residential AST tenancies created on or after the 1st of October 2015 are affected by the new rules brought in by the Deregulation Act, whereas existing tenancies and those that go periodic will not be affected until 1st October 2018." It then goes on to detail the changes...…
-
Compensation for Council repair engineer failing to arrive in the allotted time?
This week, a boiler engineer failed to arrive within the 8-12 time-slot. The compensation policy seems heavily stacked in favour of the Council and against the tenant in such cases, according to their policy. 1)"If the repairs team don’t show up for an appointment that I have booked through Housing Direct, do I receive any…
-
Buying house from sister
Hi currently living in house my sister owns (she has a mortgage) I have sold my previous house and now have the monies to buy the house in cash (£100k freehold, normal end of terrace house only built 10 years ago) I will be paying both my and my sisters conveyancing/solicitors costs Would I be right in thinking will end up…
-
Solicitor didn't send forms
Just looking for some advice really. I had an email from my solicitor today asking for money for searches and implying that I should have paid them already. I had read on here that they are usually requested in advance, but queried with them the fact that I hadn't recieved any paperwork from them regarding this early…
-
Offer accepted.....vendors not found anywhere after 5 months.....
We had an offer accepted on our dream house in June this year, and were told at the time we were chosen (a lot of competition) due to the fact we were flexible and had no chain. All communication has been via the estate agent, and the vendors still haven't found somewhere suitable. How long do we wait until we put some…
-
Would you buy on a busy street?
Hi, I have found a lovely house with a big garden, however it is on a fairly busy street. I'm worried this may affect future saleability hence thought I'd ask if anyone has any pearls of wisdom to offer or share their experience of living on a busy road Thank you
-
Chain Collapse Post Exchange
Hi, I am part of a housing chain (6 house chain) which is just about to collapse, 8 weeks after the proposed completion date! We exchanged contracts in July, with an agreed completion date of 4th September (one of the parties in the chain was going on holiday hence the time between exchange and completion). On the 4th of…
-
Exchanging contract for a new build due to complete in a year
Hi all, My partner and I have reserved a new build flat off-plan. Since I'm on a work visa, there's currently only two lenders that will lend to us, and since we have to wait until next year to apply for a mortgage (because the anticipated completion date is mid/late summer 2016), there's no way we can be sure that we can…
-
To buy or not to buy, that is the question!
Morning all, I have a bit of a dilemma which i would really appreciate some advice about. I currently live in a 2 bedroom apartment with my wife and new born son, the mortgage is in my wifes name and we have around £53,000 left to pay, it was originally purchased for £130,000 and similar properties in the area are now…
-
Legal Power of Attorney for overseas seller. How long?
I found a great shared ownership flat in early September, made an offer, which was accepted. No chain on either side, then I got quickly processed and accepted by the housing association. I thought everything was going great, until.... The estate agent called me and said there's going to be a delay as the seller lives in…
