Buying a new build Coach House

Kalim2

Hi everyone,


I have a question around purchase of a Bovis Coach House (new build on the Help to buy scheme). I’ve gone through the developers recommended solicitors (FootAnstey). The Coach House is leasehold lasting 999 years from Jan 2012.


I’ve gotten to the stage in the process where the contract has been sent to me, so I’ve spent the last day reading the tome from cover to cover trying to get my head around all the clauses and sub-sections etc.


There are a few sections in there which are I’m either concerned about or just plain confused:


No external satellite dish to be put up
Although I don’t have Sky right now, I don’t really want this to be an issue or a limit in the future.



Permissions must be obtained for pets
This actually angers me a little. I have a cat and the last position I want to be in is to be beholden on a decision that allows me to have a pet in the property. The mere fact that I have to ask for permission indicates that said permissions can be refused for any reason (there are no clauses on what constitutes a nuisance pet for instance).
In my head – If I’m buying a property, I shouldn’t have to ask for permissions if I can have a cat.


Lastly, there were sections in the contract that made it sound like upon signing I would be releasing me right to purchase the free hold in the future. As far as my research goes you can purchase the freehold after 2 years (can’t remember if this was 2 years after completion or property build date, but anyway…). Admittedly I may have interpreted this incorrectly and I have passed this back to the solicitor for further clarification. But I’m wondering if anyone has seen this before?


As for the pet and satellite thing, I don’t want to sign and agree to anything that has these clauses in as they seem utter nonsense. If anyone has any past experiences with this and what they did, I’d love to hear about them!


Cheers!

wymondham

There are many things/costs that leasehold bring. If you are concerned about the restrictions then can you look for an alternative freehold property where you don't have these restrictions?


Keep in mind whoever you sell to may also have the same reservations...

Bantex_2

Do you own a coach?

Winger14

The Pet and Dish thing look like fairly usual lease conditions to me, there have been a number of threads about similar issues, these will be the standard conditions of the lease and they won't get changed so you either have to accept them or find an alternative property, sorry

AndyT678

Covenants on leasehold properties are not unusual.

Some people will be put off an area by a prevalence of satellite dishes and the builder may not want these sprouting up while they're still trying to flog houses on the estate. They often also say no caravans or vans too for the same reason.

Flat leases often say no pets at all so the fact that your lease says permission must be obtained suggests that they're at least open to the idea and will probably agree to a normal domestic pet like a cat. I'd revise any plans that you have to keep chickens or donkeys though. Ask them.

Your other option is the look at freehold properties.

Kalim2

Thanks for all of your replies. I've sent the solicitor a list of my concerns today and have been told I'll get some answers today/tomorrow.

The satellite dish I can live without, It's merely the fact of the option isn't there to me. The pet however just narked me off somewhat as I don't want to rely on a decision from someone else regarding such a small issue on the property of which I own.
Bearing in mind I’ve already paid a £500 deposit, if neither of these things end up in a satisfactory state for me – is it worth abandoning this and looking elsewhere?
I’ll let you know what they come back to me with.

Cheers

Leon_W

If it's one of those coach houses with garages underneath I'd give it a miss.


You'll never be able to buy the freehold as the garages underneath will all have separate leases. There are also insurance complications which I read a little while back here ... https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/4841349


I'd much prefer a straightforward freehold property.

Kalim2

Hi Leon thanks for your response.

I found that thread in a search I did a little while back and it had lots of useful information - defiantly one to add to the list of links to read through if in a similar situation!

I thought however I could purchase the freehold of this type of property at a later date? My current neighbour has the freehold for his coach house, however this was as part of the property so he never actually went through any process to buy it. He mentioned that to keep it all legal and everything, he charges the owners of the two garages that under him a £1 yearly fee (apparently this makes it ok on the paperwork) and everyone is happy.

Would this situation not apply to me? I just find it uncomfortable that I seem to have a very smiler level of rights or permissions to do things, as I do now when I'm renting.

Cheers!

kingstreet

Kalim2 wrote: »

I’ve already paid a £500 deposit

No, you've paid a £500 reservation fee.

Getting that back, or a part thereof, depends on the builder and its membership of;-

http://www.consumercodeforhomebuilders.com/

should you decide not to proceed.

ethank

You can ask your solicitor for these consents to be granted with the purchase, so you will not have to pay the managing agent for them in the future.

Kalim2

kingstreet wrote: »

No, you've paid a £500 reservation fee.

Yes sorry that was a slip up on my part, just a reservation fee paid.


ethank

Thanks for that I'll get back to be solicitor on this. If I can't have it removed then i'd like to find out if some consents can be made, or gaurenteed. I would atleast want to know if there is some sort of process involved that dicates the desicision for a pet, instead of the whim of someone who may or may not be having a bad day!