Joint Repairs, Semi Detached with Council House

Lozzzaa78

Hi

We are currently going through the process of buying a 3 bed semi detached property. We found out that the joing neighbours are council tenants.
The house is in need of a lot of modernisation, and our survey has brought up issues with the roof and chimney (pretty much saying replace both!). Therefore, I was wondering when/if the issue of sharing costs for repairs arises, who do I approach? The tenants or the council? Has anyone had any experience with this kind of problem?

Thanks

sirmosh

Ask your solicitor, they'll find out for you. I know that with flats at least ex-council properties often get a pretty bad deal when it comes to repairs, privately owned flats often have to pay for the lack of funds coming from the flats that are still council owned.

csh_2

When I bought my house 5 yrs ago the survey said I needed a new roof...we didn't. It was leaking from the chimney down our side and next door and all it needed was some sort of resetting of the tiles and its never leaked since. We also had a sky light that was leaking that we had removed and sealed up, £400 in all.
Surveyors seem to see any type of water stains as 'roof at end of useful life' but it doesn't always mean that.

If you do need joint repairs it would be the council you approach I would imagine since they are the owners? I can see them telling you just to sort your own side out though...

abankerbutnotafatcat

sirmosh wrote: »

Ask your solicitor, they'll find out for you. I know that with flats at least ex-council properties often get a pretty bad deal when it comes to repairs, privately owned flats often have to pay for the lack of funds coming from the flats that are still council owned.

That isn't the case with the flat I have. The cost is equally (there's a calculation based on sqmeterage) amongst all the flats. The only difference is the privately owned pay theirs whilst the council pay for the ones they still owned. I've always considered this equitable.

Lozzzaa78

csh wrote: »

When I bought my house 5 yrs ago the survey said I needed a new roof...we didn't. It was leaking from the chimney down our side and next door and all it needed was some sort of resetting of the tiles and its never leaked since. We also had a sky light that was leaking that we had removed and sealed up, £400 in all.
Surveyors seem to see any type of water stains as 'roof at end of useful life' but it doesn't always mean that.

If you do need joint repairs it would be the council you approach I would imagine since they are the owners? I can see them telling you just to sort your own side out though...

I understand what you mean about Surveyors, however, in this instance I think they may be correct. The house has not had any work on it in approx. 20 years apart from the wonderful job they have done at boarding up the loft!! I think they are definitely hiding something!