So i've completed, now what?

Thrifter_2

I've completed on a 3 bed house (cash buy) which was previously owned by an elderly gentlemen who died. The house is a terrace house and was owned by him for over 50 years. The survey suggested that it needed to be electrically re-wired along with some minor damp issues which I plan on doing...soon.

The house is empty, but i noticed upon a quick inspection that the phone line is still active as well as the electricity, water and gas. Obviously i will have to notify the utility companies but will i have to pay for any of the usage previously utilized as the previous owner is now deceased?

2a) Also should i notify the council immediately that I am the new owner?

2b? Will I be exempt from paying council tax as I have to do a complete rewire of the house as well as deal with some damp issues and plastering?

3) Should I tell my insurer that the house is being electrically re-wired and that I am leaving it vacant for the meanwhile? I'm worried that they might increase the premium when i tell them that i now intend to reside at the property.

4) The elderly gentleman seems to have converted his third bedroom into a shower unit with a toilet and sink basin. I imagine it would've been troublesome for him to constantly keep going downstairs to use the toilet hence the reason he might've made the conversion. I intend to move these to a corner in the room creating an on-suite - would this require building regulations?

5) What lasting information do I need from my solicitor? So far, he has told me to pick up the keys from the EA and that everything has gone through fine. so essentially what should i ask for?

Sorry if the questions seem daft. I'm a young FTB in his 20's.

Thanks in advance.

purcel

Go straight away and read all utilities meters and inform the companies that you have moved. You will not have to pay anything else but what you will consume in the future.

Also inform your council of new ownership, if the house will be unoccupied for a certain time( not sure how long) then you will probably won't have to pay council tax. Just ask them when you ring them.

Check your insurance policy and see how long the house can be unoccupied at once and take it from there.

purcel

You need to wait from you solicitor now to receive the land registry documents, but they do take about 6 weeks to come. I don't think you need to do anything else...

Not sure about building reg, I am sure someone else with more knowledge than me will be able to help.

G_M

Thrifter wrote: »

I've completed on a 3 bed house (cash buy) which was previously owned by an elderly gentlemen who died. The house is a terrace house and was owned by him for over 50 years. The survey suggested that it needed to be electrically re-wired along with some minor damp issues which I plan on doing...soon.

The house is empty, but i noticed upon a quick inspection that the phone line is still active as well as the electricity, water and gas. Obviously i will have to notify the utility companies but will i have to pay for any of the usage previously utilized as the previous owner is now deceased?contact utility suppliers, council tax etc and give them date and meter feading

2a) Also should i notify the council immediately that I am the new owner? Of course

2b? Will I be exempt from paying council tax as I have to do a complete rewire of the house as well as deal with some damp issues and plastering? Maybe. Is the property unoccupied and unfurnished? Check your council website for details of their discount/exemption (or phone hem)

3) Should I tell my insurer that the house is being electrically re-wired and that I am leaving it vacant for the meanwhile? I'm worried that they might increase the premium when i tell them that i now intend to reside at the property.Read your policy! How long can you leave it empty before your insurance becomes invalid?

4) The elderly gentleman seems to have converted his third bedroom into a shower unit with a toilet and sink basin. I imagine it would've been troublesome for him to constantly keep going downstairs to use the toilet hence the reason he might've made the conversion. I intend to move these to a corner in the room creating an on-suite - would this require building regulations? Yes. Go in to the council and talj to the Building Regs guys they'll advise you.

5) What lasting information do I need from my solicitor? So far, he has told me to pick up the keys from the EA and that everything has gone through fine. so essentially what should i ask for?Nothing. In due course he'll send stuff through once he's registered the property and paid the SDLT etc

Sorry if the questions seem daft. I'm a young FTB in his 20's.

Thanks in advance.

Enjoy! Just remember it's yours now. You are responsible. So contact people to tell them your new address and new responsibilities. (BT, taxman, DVLC, bank, whoever)

poppysarah

Most insurers will want to know if you're doing major work - that your workmen have insurance.
Whether it applies to the work you're doing you are best reading policy and asking them if unclear.

Property empty is an issue after 30 days.

Get lots of quotes for work.

Read meters and ring the utility companies to let them know.

Council tax should be exempt period but ring and ask. It's on property not you though so if empty for while you migt not get one.

evoke

Council tax is only exempt for the first six months or ownership and the property has to be 'substantially unfurnished'. It also has to be empty for almost all of those six months (apart from a maximum of six weeks during those initial six months).

ConfusedDep

I was in a similar position in August last year, utilities were not be bad to get sorted.

Re the council tax I think there a different rules in different parts of the country (or should we say how the council interpret them), where I live they don't give exemption for empty property only a 50% discount. However as the house was not able to be lived in, the criteria being that there was no kitchen and bathroom did not seem to matter about electricity and no water!!. They insisted on coming to inspect the house although I did send the council all of the quotes for work and a copy of the surveyor report but they did take there time to agreed.

As for quotes draw up a list of what you want done in order of priority, I had an extra toilet / shower room put in downstairs but it was on the line of the soil pipe so did not cause a problem. I arranged empty property insurance and it did cost more but at least I know I was covered. I ended up employing one contractor who arranged the lot including contacting to ensure I complied with building regulations slightly more expensive than employing individual contractors but much less stress for me.

tizerbelle

evoke wrote: »

Council tax is only exempt for the first six months or ownership and the property has to be 'substantially unfurnished'. It also has to be empty for almost all of those six months (apart from a maximum of six weeks during those initial six months).

Depends on the council. Ours also exempts furnished but unoccupied properties. Company has a house that is used by employees when they come to head office, fully furnished but only used a few nights a month. No council tax to pay, council got fed up of us sending a list of dates of occupation each month and having to adjust the bill for the few dates of occupation so just decided to class the house as permanently unoccupied but furnished and no council tax to pay!