Persimmon Homes freehold

sframpton

Hi all,

We are looking at buying a new buid Persimmon Home (freehold)... yesterday when we discussed it with the salesman my husband asked if we could put a conservatory on in the future (after we've repaid the HTB loan we would need to purchase the house) and the guy said we could, for a £300 fee to Persimmon.

I asked if this applied to any other aspects of home renovation, as I had read some horror stories online, and he said no, just extending/adding a conservatory. There is a small maintenance fee to pay as well for the management of the site (£180 per annum) - but as I understand it this site is run under one of the better schemes where the homeowners are the directors of the management company, thereby not allowing them to sell the management of the site on and hike up the prices...

I suppose my question is is this really a freehold property if you have to pay Persimmon £300 to add a conservatory and pay a maintenance fee? I don't want to buy a house that is only freehold on paper, but we are quite keen on the house, it is all we can afford just now and if we don't buy this year there's every chance we won't get the oppurtunity to do so for the forseeable, due to maternity leave etc. Just wonder if anyone else has any experience with this kind of thing?

Thanks.

SmashedAvacado

Get them to remove the requirement to pay a fee. Or ask for 300 off the purchase?

sframpton

Thanks... my issue isn't really with the £300... it's with what it represents (i.e. that Persimmon still have a say over what we do with the land...)

Mutton_Geoff

Think hard about adding a conservatory as well. They are rapidly falling out of favour. Too hot in summer too cold in winter despite all the adverts for special blinds etc.


Save your money to build a proper extension.

seven-day-weekend

Mutton_Geoff wrote: »

Think hard about adding a conservatory as well. They are rapidly falling out of favour. Too hot in summer too cold in winter despite all the adverts for special blinds etc.


Save your money to build a proper extension.

Mine isn't. It has thermal glass which helps regulate the temperature,and half brick walls and you have to open the windows in the summer and heat it in the winter - like you do with any room.

It's the ones with cheap polycarbonate roofs that cause the most problems with temperature.

comeandgo

Does the fee for consent for works last forever or only until development finished and persimmon off site? I've seen these conditions but developers usually only do that to keep the development looking "nice" while they are still trying to sell properties.

The maintenance fee is for upkeep of general areas. Nothing to do with freehold.

sframpton

Thanks guys - we would probably extend rather than add a conservatory anyway to be honest, that's kind of by the by at the moment - as I said, it's more the thought of having to pay to do so that worries me!

Thanks comeandgo - I will ask the salesman about that.

Tom99

[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]Ask for a copy of the restrictive covenants (exact wording) and any other clauses which will be part of the title, maybe involving paying to maintain open space etc.[/FONT]
[FONT=Verdana, sans-serif]These will already have been drafted since you have been told about the £300 for a conservatory, but what else are you going to be stung for, you need to know. [/FONT]

gimmetheloot

I would ask your solicitor.



Persimmon have a truly awful reputation amongst house builders so be very wary, and keen to the fact that they have absolutely nobodies interests at heart but their own.



If I bought a freehold house I would want to be able to do whatever I want to it, within the law and planning regs, without relying on a third party.

NB94

I know you’re going to do as you please if you have your heart set on a property but I am a Site Carpenter and I would never ever buy a Persimmon house.