Dealing with elderly neighbours / free holders

facm88

My partner and I brought our flat in June of last year, as part of the sale -the vendors were giving up their ownership of the freehold to both top flat and our flat and splitting it between the two. The flat upstairs belongs to a very elderly gentleman who has been living in it for the past 40 years but until now, had nothing to do with the freehold and to our knowledge hasn't been paying ground rent or contributing to the building insurance.

Some repairs were identified in the survey that we had run on the property and having previously agreed to contribute towards the work (it is chimney / roof related and effects both flats) our neighbour is now claiming that he has no money and being 90 years old was hoping to have moved on before these issues were brought up..... cue feeling terrible.....

Having (perhaps unwittingly) agreed with the vendor to a 50% share of the freehold which our neighbour quite rightly has, we are in a position where we either have to stump up the costs ourselves which seems somewhat unfair, or pursue this legally but aren't sure how one deals with a vulnerable person who may or may not be altogether with it..... please help!

Guest101

That's unfortunate, but ultimately you need to pursue this with the gentleman, either through the courts or as a claim on the estate down the line.

Norman_Castle

Has this 90 year old avoided this for 40 years which is why the vendors have given up their ownership?

I like this old guy. Stubbornly mse.