Loft access for surveyor

bobadoba

Hello,

We are selling our ground floor garden flat, which is in a Victorian semi-detached house. We are joint freeholders with the upstairs flat - there are just 2 flats in the property.

Our buyers are cash buyers and have already given us a long list of demands as part of the deal. The latest relates to the loft, which is only accessible via the flat above ours. The buyers want the surveyor to have loft and roof access. I know that our upstairs neighbours are unlikely to grant the surveyor access; they are not difficult people, but home-school their children and don't like visitors during the day.

Has anyone experience of this; as co-freeholders do we have a right to ask our neighbours to provide loft access to the surveyor? I don't want to deny our buyers as I know they just want to check that all is structurally sound, but at the same time I don't know if it is relevant given that they are buying our flat, not the upstairs flat.

Any words of wisdom would be much appreciated.

princeofpounds

'The freeholder' might have a right of access but given it is only split between the two of you 'the freeholder' won't do it.

So there isn't much you can do.

Plenty of purchases go through with only exterior ground-level inspection of the roof.

Your neighbours really should allow it though, as long as it is at a time convenient to them.

jbainbridge

I don't think it is an unreasonable request - ask them. Any visit will be brief and assuming no problems unlikely to be repeated. You say 'they are not difficult people' ...

eddddy

bobadoba wrote: »

... but at the same time I don't know if it is relevant given that they are buying our flat, not the upstairs flat.
....

In most cases, all leaseholders will be jointly liable for roof repairs and maintenance,

So, for example, if the roof needs replacing in the near future, you (or your buyers) will probably have to pay half - which might be a sizeable chunk of cash.

bobadoba

Thanks everyone - I know about sharing costs of the roof and other communal areas; for example we recently had the guttering re-done and shared the cost with upstairs, it's just that I thought that it would be enough for the surveyor to assess the roof externally - he is bringing a ladder. I just wondered if upstairs had a right to refuse the surveyor entry to their flat in order to access the loft, if we jointly own the freehold.