Have I done the right thing and/or annoyed the Estate Agent

ElsieMonkey

I think you done the right thing. I live in a freehold flat, grade II listed. Many of the rules are completely outdated (like having to have nets at the window, having to have carpet). In reality times have moved on and no one has nets anymore and many people have wooden flooring. Providing you're considerate and cause no issue to the neighbours it's not an issue. However, in your case it may always be an issue because the freeholder lives there. This would be the big issue for me - you will never feel like you could relax. Also the loft space not being included would have a massive impact on the price you offered.

I think you're right to be decent about it all and give a solid explanation for pulling out. If only everyone was like this. I've been on the receiving end of buyers going completely AWOL before and it's heartbreaking and frankly just rude. People are right, yes it is a business transaction, but one which impacts on people's lives, people forget this.

Good luck with finding something else

Missus_Hyde

Small_Yeti wrote: »

We have...retracted our offer. Tellingly I feel like a huge weight just came off my shoulders. Much as we loved the flat it wasn't right for us.

The Agent was very decent about it and agreed the lease terms were complete insanity. We're going to see the freehold house on Saturday as well so fingers crossed.

Honestly thanks everyone for the feedback. And honestly I am a pretty tough cookie - I just want to act as a decent and considerate person at the same time.

Good for you, Small Yeti; I actually can't think why you would even contemplate buying a property with those restrictions in the lease.

How fortuitous that you had the jolly good sense to go through the lease so thoroughly before committing yourself to the sale; it would have caused much more upset and bad feeling had you pulled out at the last minute before exchange (which could have happened).

Quite frankly, it would be a nightmare for you to sell in the future, had you decided to proceed; I can't think that it would appeal to any prospective buyer with those restrictions, unless they were a Trappist monk, or similar! :cool:

Here's hoping that the house you view on Saturday will be just what you're looking for!

Noctu

Well done SY - if it makes you feel any better, the only person the agent would (should) be peed off with is the vendor -- if they've been feeding them misinformation about the loft, and other restrictions. The vendor has wasted the agent's time as well as yours!

Hope you find your dream property!

chelseablue

Good for you! I think you've made the right decision.


No singing to be heard? Who makes up this rubbish!


I owned a leasehold flat once and the lease stated all sorts of things like you cant have your washing machine or hoover after a certain time, no pets, no wooden flooring allowed, carpets only.
Which everyone just ignored, lady above me had 2 dogs!


Freehold all the way is my advice

warby68

I'm glad you've pulled out OP

However I think your intensity still needs a bit of a talking to You wrote an essay about a cupboard! What did the cupboard matter with all those conditions? It really does help if you can see the wood for the trees. If you have a deal breaker, there is just no point analysing the other stuff. I don't mean to be unkind, just to help you for the next one.

You're going to drain yourselves the other way.

getmore4less

rather than anoy the EA you have done them a big favor by actually saying what the issues are.

They now know the they have a dog on their books,
They probably knew already with the no renting but if they did not know about the loft and other issues they are not going to be happy now.

cloo

I agree with other posters that the leasehold conditions are fairly typical - they're kind of an anachronism really and I think most bits can be ignore. We had stuff in our leasehold flat about how often we should clean the windows etc and the freeholder never cared, despite a) living above us and b) us having a serious argument with them at one point and it never occurred to them to threaten us about piffling lease conditions.

I don't think there exist any cases in living memory, or possibly longer than that, where someone has actually been thrown out of a leasehold property for breaking terms of lease. Or if there is, it would be for something more significant than singing, having a pet or being untidy.