Apartment details changed

QTPie

adriandilly wrote: »

That is all well and good, if they need to add an incentive to sell a property that's fine! But to take our deposit and NO LESS THAN A WEEK LATER add garages to the others I think its very underhand. It was only by chance I found out as well... went back to the office to ask for the key to look round again, and happened to glance down at the new list on his desk while he was dealing with other customers; so it wasnt even as if they were going to tell us!
I will find out about the particulars of the garage when I get one, but even if it has no power it will be extremely useful as storage because in the apartment it's limited.

Not really.... maybe if they were offering it on the flats on the same floor as yours, but they aren't. Sounds like they are "at least" offering for you to switch to a different floor WITH a garage. But you may be lucky and they may add another garage on to your contract, BUT that may depend how many garages they have... sounds as though they have a "few left over from the development as a whole", but they obviously didn't build one per flat (so findign one for each flat is an impossibility).

See how it goes - let us know. Good luck.

QT

adriandilly

Have just been in to the sales centre and having talked to her director earlier this afternoon, she said there is nothing they can do for us other than move us to either of the last two flats with garages.
We now have the choice whether to stay put or move down. She understands our frustration and was shocked herself to see garages when she got in this morning. Apparently 6 out of the 9 in our block have now sold, and all those people would be in the same dilemma (assuming they've noticed!).
The only reason I can see now why those last two have garages is because they are the nearest to them and as youve said before, electricity could be taken from them. I still dont understand why they couldnt have told us in the first place, but there you go... Interestingly Ive been told that they are not having trouble selling them and that it is not a reason why the last two have garages........ hmmmmmm?

adriandilly

I knew they werent selling... The ground floor flat is now becoming a show room!!

silvercar

adriandilly wrote: »

I knew they werent selling... The ground floor flat is now becoming a show room!!

Showroom for what?

I would have thought that planning permission for change of use would be needed. Personally this would upset me more than the problem with the garage. Any successful business will have customers arriving and causing parking problems.

getmore4less

I think the OP means show house to try and get it to sell faster will probably get offered with a garage and all the extra fittings for a knock down price.

adriandilly

Showhouse to illustrate the features and designs of the developer's properties i'm guessing. There is still a plot of land to be built on yet, whether or not they can afford to continue building i dont know!

adriandilly

Hi, could you tell me if you think £1010 per year for ground rent, buildings insurance and other service charges is reasonable.i think it is quite high! Thanks

QTPie

adriandilly wrote: »

Hi, could you tell me if you think £1010 per year for ground rent, buildings insurance and other service charges is reasonable.i think it is quite high! Thanks

Depends on the services? Is there a lift in your block of flats? That normally demands quite a lot of this....

We were paying about £1000 a year about 5 years ago (there was a lift there). My mother pays about £1600 a year in her flat (also has a lift).

What area of the country are you in?

QT

adriandilly

There is no lift and we are in Norfolk. Ground rent is 250.courtyard service is 151, admin charges are 22, Buildings insurance,maintenance,electrical maintenance, cleaning, repairs, etc. is the other 586. Thanks

QTPie

Our £1000 a year was excluding ground rent...

Admin charges are unusually low (which is good). Hard to know about "Courtyard Service" (what does that entail)? The £589 also depends what it entails (how much there is to maintain and repair, how often it is cleaned, whether it includes a "sinking fund" etc).

We live in a house on an estate (so do not pay buildings insurance or maintenance of any indoor communal areas) and still pay almost £500 a year (for communal garden maintenance, private road maintenance, maintenance of the lights on the privvate road etc.etc.). Wish I had the management company documents here (they are all at the solicitors), then I could tell you how much the flats pay.

Do you have friends in the sam area living in flats? Asking them would be a good idea (to get an idea for your specific area). Maybe someone else on here can give you more advice too

QT