Who owns the loft?

leeroybrown123

The freehold document names me and the neighbour as the joint freeholders.

Thanks.

stebiz

leeroybrown123 wrote: »

I think maybe it was a house before I purchase it (2002) and was converted to 2 flats maybe around 1994. I have no idea who made up the lease.

Thank you again !

The person will be registered as the Freeholder and is legally responsible for upholding the lease. They can be more hassle than they are worth and often get sold for as little as a couple of hundred pounds. I own quite a few and my revenue is by charging for repairs/letters of consent etc. All rather messy at times.

However if the Freeholder cannot be traced then a new deed would need drawing up and both of you would need to agree to it. Again quite messy and can be expensive. Do your homework and try and find the Freeholder. You have a few options open to you then.

stebiz

leeroybrown123 wrote: »

The freehold document names me and the neighbour as the joint freeholders.

Thanks.

How long is the lease?

leeroybrown123

it is quite a few pages, maybe 6!

leeroybrown123

Thanks for your advice I will re read it to see if it mentions anyone else or an address. I could also get a quote from a solicitor to look through it.

stebiz

leeroybrown123 wrote: »

it is quite a few pages, maybe 6!

I mean 99 years, 125 years, 999 years ??

leeroybrown123

ha ha very funny! about 125 years...

stebiz

leeroybrown123 wrote: »

Thanks for your advice I will re read it to see if it mentions anyone else or an address. I could also get a quote from a solicitor to look through it.

The first thing your solicitor will do is contact the land registry and ask for a copy of the head lease and who it is registered to. It will have had to be registered by law if it was set up in the 1990's.

That will tell him who owns it. If the Freeholder is actually you and the other tenant, then you really will need a Solicitor as things will get tricky and she could stop you developing.

leeroybrown123

Would I have been given this land registry document when I purchased the flat or I could get it myself?

stebiz

You can go online and pay £3 and see who is the registered Freeholder. To get the lease you need to apply in writing by filling in a form and it costs about £20 - or it was last time I got one about a year ago.