Property has 2 freehold and 2 leasehold titles, need clarification

Gobletoffire

Hello

I am planning on purchasing the freehold of my property, I have asked for a quote from the landlord and they have sent me a document with price. The document states "purchase of freehold and leasehold reversion" I did not understand what the latter meant so checked the HM land registry website. The property has 2 titles under freehold and 2 titles under leasehold. This property is a new build with easements. I do not understand why there is 4 titles please can anyone offer any advice?

 For more information the titles are as follows: 

Freehold: a title register for the larger plan of land where all the new builds were built and a title register of the current freeholder (who I am trying to buy the freehold from)

Leasehold: a title register for myself and a title register for my current freeholder, from what I am understanding it's a freehold with leasehold clauses possibly due to the easements 

Any help would be appreciated 

user1977

Gobletoffire said:

I did not understand what the latter meant so checked the HM land registry website. The property has 2 titles under freehold and 2 titles under leasehold. I do not understand why there is 4 titles please can anyone offer any advice?

Not without seeing whatever it is you're looking at, really. Can you post a screenshot?

Gobletoffire

 this is what it says when you select the address on the website. It then has 2 sections freehold and leasehold and under each my address is listed twice with different title registers. I will attempt to get a better screenshot just need to block out the address 

propertyrental

Just to be sure, is this the LR website, not some commercial copy?

https://search-property-information.service.gov.uk/?_ga=2.227252893.1011285419.1624257816-2123334908.1623227908

user1977 said:

Gobletoffire said:

I did not understand what the latter meant so checked the HM land registry website. The property has 2 titles under freehold and 2 titles under leasehold. I do not understand why there is 4 titles please can anyone offer any advice?

..... Can you post a screenshot?

of the search results, and then the proprietor names ( use MrX, company Y, my name etc) within each title.

Might be worth also checking the Plans to ensure whether the titles do/don't cover the same land boundaries.

Land_Registry

Gobletoffire said:

 this is what it says when you select the address on the website. It then has 2 sections freehold and leasehold and under each my address is listed twice with different title registers. I will attempt to get a better screenshot just need to block out the address 

Screenshots from the upfront information are unlikely to help here. You’ll need to look at the registers, perhaps x 4, to understand what’s registered and what actually affects you 
Happy to give you a steer if you DM the address?

eddddy

Gobletoffire said:

Hello

The document states "purchase of freehold and leasehold reversion" I did not understand what the latter meant so checked the HM land registry website. The property has 2 titles under freehold and 2 titles under leasehold. This property is a new build with easements. I do not understand why there is 4 titles please can anyone offer any advice?

Presumably your property is a house - rather than a flat.

As I understand it, "purchase of freehold and leasehold reversion" suggests that there is a freehold and a headlease. I.e. something like this:

• Somebody owns a parcel freehold land
• Somebody owns a headlease of all or part of that land
• You own a sub-lease of all or part of the land in the headlease

That could explain why you are seeing 2 leasehold titles - one is the headlease, and one is your sub-lease.



I'm not 100% clear about this - so you should definitely check with a specialist solicitor - but I think the situation is as follows:

• You have informally approached the freeholder. All they can offer you is the freehold, and leasehold reversion of the headlease. Because your freeholder does not own the headlease.

• But if you did a 'statutory freehold enfranchisement' (i.e. you use the law to compulsorily purchase the freehold) - you would get straightforward freehold ownership. And the headlease would 'disappear' from your title (so the leasehold reversion becomes irrelevant). i.e. some of the money you pay would go to the freeholder, and some would go to the headlease owner.

You should talk to a specialist solicitor who deals with 'freehold enfranchisement' and has experience of properties with headleases. 

Gobletoffire

Thank you for all the replies. I have contacted a solicitor as the quote includes   a sub lease for the driveway of the property and freehold for the actual property and garage.