Reassurance or concern - views welcomed

sismith370

On reading the entire thread I would have to walk away. There are too many areas for concern especially if you get stung with an unfinished exterior - this happened on the estate I live on - the residents ended up paying for the main road to be completed!! Not cheap with a 1/2 mile private driveway then the other 1/2 mile around the estate...

Good call on researching the builder from Cherisong and it is probably worth checking what you will have to pay for the work the solicitors have already completed, it may not be as bad as you think.

All the best whatever you decide.

bigyorkshireman

The best Radon gas test work over a 3 month period – this then allows for any seasonal fluctuations according to temperatures. Passive Radon Gas detectors are placed within the main living and sleeping areas of the property. These Radon Gas detectors are then sent for laboratory analysis to obtain a yearly average Becquerel level. Remedial action is then dependant on the accurate results obtained. The current action level in the UK is 200 Becquerels per cubic meter.

Radon levels can be reduced in a variety of ways depending on the Radon gas levels found. Positive pressure ventilation and Radon fans are common ways of reducing the levels of Radon in the property...

Richard_Webster

It would be very unusual to have a service charge effectively determined by the residents. They can increase and that is simply something that you have to accept when you buy a flat.

Another thing to check is if the builder has built other blocks in the area who now owns the freeholds of them. Some builders have a habit of waiting a couple of years for the development to settle down and then selling the freehold to some dodgy company who will then think of lots of ways to rip off the lessees. The lessees will have the "Right of First Refusal" at that time but they have to get together a majority of them to do this and apathy usually rules and the sale to the dodgy property company goes through.

If more flat buyers refused to buy where there were dodgy property company freeholders or from builders who had a habit of selling to them, then the builders would not do this and perhaps would either set up commonholds (not really used at the moment because builder can make money on the side by selling freehold) or would have a leasehold scheme with a residents' management company to take over the freehold when the development was completed.