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Licence for Alterations – loft conversion - £5,700???!!!
Remortgager_3
Posts: 15 Forumite
Hi. Hope someone can help with some advice. Hope I'm in the right forum!
The freeholder has agreed to a loft conversion for my first floor leasehold flat. Simple job – no issues.
His solicitors demanded £2400 ‘on account’ ‘to start work.’ After they received the surveyors report they demanded £3,300 to come up with the licence and for 3 site visits by the surveyor during the build.
Issues.
Several days later I caught the sidekick taking pictures of the property from the street.
This has taken eight months so far.
Yes of course, I expected to pay reasonable costs but I don’t believe that £5,700 can in any way be justified and I’m considering taking it to a Tribunal.
I’d appreciate any thoughts on my likely success.
Thanks.
The freeholder has agreed to a loft conversion for my first floor leasehold flat. Simple job – no issues.
His solicitors demanded £2400 ‘on account’ ‘to start work.’ After they received the surveyors report they demanded £3,300 to come up with the licence and for 3 site visits by the surveyor during the build.
Issues.
- I have quotes from other solicitors to prepare a Licence for Alterations for a loft conversion. The mean figure seems to be around £800.
- The surveyors that arrived at the flat (a senior partner or possible owner and a sidekick) didn’t go near the loft and after a pointless 20 mins they departed.
Several days later I caught the sidekick taking pictures of the property from the street.
- A draft Licence was provided. Typical of all the paperwork provided by these solicitors, it was full of amateurish errors – they couldn’t even get the address of the flat correct.
This has taken eight months so far.
Yes of course, I expected to pay reasonable costs but I don’t believe that £5,700 can in any way be justified and I’m considering taking it to a Tribunal.
I’d appreciate any thoughts on my likely success.
Thanks.
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Comments
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What tribunal? If they want just short if six grand then they want just short of six grand. It's not like you can acquire the consent from anyone else.0
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I'm the freeholder in a situation similar to yours. I own and live downstairs whilst one lady lives upstairs in the leasehold.
I'd think that was cheap! Going forward (aside from the !!! ache of them doing the work) my insurance will go up and there's nothing to say that the work they are doing wont cause issues that I'd have to replace or pay to fix.
As above, it costs what it costs and you should have been aware of this when you took on the property.[STRIKE]£2200[/STRIKE] [STRIKE]£1950[/STRIKE][STRIKE]£1850[/STRIKE] £1600 on my credit card
£1200 of £6000 Savings0 -
Try this equation - value the loft conversion will add on to your flat, minus the building costs and divide by two. Anywhere near the £5700 - more, less?
If the total needed by the freeholder is only £5,700 I'd be grabbing it with both hands.0 -
Hmm... according to the Leasehold Advisory Service the costs I have to pay must be be 'reasonable.' Quotes from other solicitors are far more reasonable.
FYI, I am liable for 'issues' that may arise from the work.0 -
Jenniefour wrote: »Try this equation - value the loft conversion will add on to your flat, minus the building costs and divide by two. Anywhere near the £5700 - more, less?
If the total needed by the freeholder is only £5,700 I'd be grabbing it with both hands.
That equation makes no sense to me, sorry. It is not the freeholder that wants the money - it is his solicitors who are charging an excessive amount compared to other solicitors I have spoken to.0 -
Wow, what a bloomin' rip-off! These people should hang their head in shame.Proud to have lost over 3 stone (45 pounds,) in the past year! :j Now a size 14!
You're not singing anymore........ You're not singing any-more!
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Remortgager wrote: »That equation makes no sense to me, sorry. It is not the freeholder that wants the money - it is his solicitors who are charging an excessive amount compared to other solicitors I have spoken to.
who are you paying? the solicitor or the freeholder?
Ask for a breakdown of your bill.0 -
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Anyone out there been through the process of getting a Licence for Alterations for a loft conversion in a leasehold flat?0
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Do you own the loft space (under your lease) or does the freeholder?0
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