Land registry troubles with Freehold sale - Notice served to previous owner!

Kad_Williams

I and the other leaseholders in my building have been served a section 5A notice offering us the freehold. This fact is great, the premium figure acceptable and the terms are fine. The problem is that my flat's notice has been addressed to the previous owner - his name, and the details of the existing lease. Presumably this is to do with my details not being registered to the property. The land registry has today been requested to expedite the application, using the freehold purchase as the reason for urgency (leaseholders have 2 months from the date of the notice to accept the offer it sets out). 

Considering the ongoing national crisis, will the land registry likely be affected enough that they might not get my application over the line?
Also - is the fact the notice was served on the wrong person not grounds enough for it to be resubmitted? It seems peculiar to have spoken communicated with landlord, them know my name and then get a notice addressed to someone else...seems like an error somehow.

bigmortgage

Your freeholder should be aware of who the leaseholders are regardless of if the title was correctly registered with the land registry or not. Section 5A notice is invalid. Speak to the freeholder to reissue section 5a notice, then when you receive it, simply accept the offer.

greatcrested

How long ago did you buy the lease?

How long ago was the TR1 sent to the R?

Did you/your solicitor notify the freeholder in the appropriate form of the purchase?

Kad_Williams

When you say 'buy' what do mean?
My purchase of the flat completed mid December and the transfer documents sent to the registry the same day. 
My solicitors informed the freeholder of the purchase in the appropriate form, yes.

Land_Registry

The COVID-19 crisis is impacting on us the same as everyone else 
If the lease was already registered when you bought then I’m unsure why, if lodged in December, it is still unregistered. Your conveyancer has presumably explained further though. 

If they have asked for it to be expedited and we do so then it would be processed as quickly as possible. That may still take a few weeks as available resources are limited as you can appreciate
But your conveyancer should have that detail available to them and they can check/confirm expedition and progress online. 

All I can really say is that if expedition is approved and if the application is in order then I’d expect it to be completed within the 2 months. But there are a few ‘ifs’ to turn into certainties so speak to your conveyancer to stay up to date