Freehold ransom being demanded by 'absentee landlord'

RainbowsInTheSpray

Doozergirl wrote: »

Then they're trying it on! I have heard of unscrupulous Freeholders who will buy at auction and then try to fleece the leaseholders.

Are you sure that the freehold hasn't already changed hands without you knowing?

I cannot see any financial gain to you buying the freehold at all (which you'd have to purchase collectively as a block if you are indeed flats). I wouldn't even bother with it. They can only charge the ground rent stipulated in the current lease.

How do you presently organise maintainance of the buildings?

The basis of the offer is that each 'half' (comprising one ground floor and one first floor maisonette) of the building is being treated separately. Each lessee is being offered the 'right to buy out'. In the event that you refuse, the lessee of the other maisonette has the right to buy BOTH, in which case he/she then becomes your landlord. If both parties refuse, the threat is that the freeholds may then be sold at auction to whomsoever.

Maintenance of the roof is the reponsibility of the upstairs leaseholder, maintenance of the drains that of the downstairs.

As far as I can see, properties in the road are being bought and sold quite happily even with the 'absentee landlord' situation.

Doozergirl

Your freeholder isn't absentee anymore! The length of lease means that

Is it written into your lease that upstairs does the top stuff and downstairs the bottom (worded just like that?! :rotfl:). You need to chek that the lease doesn't put the responsibility of organising these things on to the freeholder as you could be charged some kind of service charge if someone else were to buy it.

If it's quite clear that you organise your own maintenance and buildings insurance and the lease is over 900 years, then I think your freehold is worthless!

Have you contacted the people at https://www.lease-advice.co.uk ? They are funded by the government, so won't charge you for their advice and I think you can get this cleared up pretty quickly with their help.

RainbowsInTheSpray

Doozergirl wrote: »

Your freeholder isn't absentee anymore! The length of lease means that

Is it written into your lease that upstairs does the top stuff and downstairs the bottom (worded just like that?! :rotfl:). You need to chek that the lease doesn't put the responsibility of organising these things on to the freeholder as you could be charged some kind of service charge if someone else were to buy it.

If it's quite clear that you organise your own maintenance and buildings insurance and the lease is over 900 years, then I think your freehold is worthless!

Have you contacted the people at https://www.lease-advice.co.uk ? They are funded by the government, so won't charge you for their advice and I think you can get this cleared up pretty quickly with their help.

Thanks for all the above. I'll do the various checks you mention. Some of the people in the road are getting really quite worried over this situation as they simply haven't the necessary £2000 available.

toomanyshoes

CB1979 wrote: »

I asked this question a while ago, and basically no one could come up with a decent answer, except for if the leases start getting to a low number of years, they can make a bit from lease extensions, also all their "admin" charges.

me - "hi mr freeholder can i have a sky dish up please"
freeholder - "pay me £100 and I'll tell you yes or no"

also through running repairs/management companies they can make a bit as well.

Talking of admin fees.........I am in a leasehold property and want to extend into the loft. When my neighbour asked for permission to turn her front garden into a driveway, the freeholder wanted £2500 for a yes or no. £100 I can kinda understand but over £2K, is there a way to challenge this should they want a similar amount for permisson for my loft extention.

Any ideas?

Thanks

clutton_2

some of the demands that i got for ground rent (£1.1s.03 - laid down in 1893 as one example and with no facility in the lease for an increase) asked me for "admin fees/late payment penalty of £115" as i had not paid the ground rent on time. My solicitor advised me that an invoice for a maximum of 6 years of ground rent can be demanded (whether it was asked for or not at the correct time) and that no such admin fees can be claimed. He did tell me the Act to quote, so, i wrote back, enclosing £6 odd and have never had a demand for more than £1.10 ever since.

These firms rely on the ignorance of new buyers, and try it on !!!!!!!!