LPE1 fees & leaseholder walks out without payment

gabumonti

I am a freeholder of a flat in London, the leaseholder has recently sold the flat, his lawyer asked me to fill theLPE1, I have asked them to pay £200 to provide the LPE1 and all the documents required for the sale. Basically they ignored my request of payment, completed the sale and just walked out without giving me anytthing.
Now they are finding all sort of excuses not pay, such as I never asked for the money (I have dug up all the email used in correspondence and sent to them again) or they say they never agreed to pay for the fees but then used the documents for the sale.

Is there something that can be done?

LEJC

So you handed over the documentation before getting payment?

gabumonti

since he lived downstairs for 8 years and self proclaimed "our friendly neighbour" I just gave him what he wanted, he always paid all the fees on the spot.
I suspect that his lawyer messed it up, and never told him about the fees.

[Deleted User]

Freeholder gets Karma.

We all have to do paperwork and forms for a meriad of reasons so just forget it.

G_M

Lesson learned.

Frst time I'vve come across a freeholder who provided the lease package/LPE1 forms without first receiving payment.

You could sue if you know where the leaseholder has moved to. Or learn the lesson, write it off, and move on.

£200 seems a lot for a form, but then some freeholders are in the profit business (and so demand payment upfront), while some are just in the management business (eg where freehold is jointly owned by leaseholders), are more 'laid back', and charge nominal fees.

Are you the former or the latter?