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Should I buy this Maisonette?

124

Comments

  • melb
    melb Posts: 2,892 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    can I just ask why a couple of people advise against buying a maisonette? the ones I have seen are in a block of 4 flats over 2 floors ie each 1 bed flat occupies one floor. What is the difference between this and a small block of flats?
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    melb wrote: »
    can I just ask why a couple of people advise against buying a maisonette? the ones I have seen are in a block of 4 flats over 2 floors ie each 1 bed flat occupies one floor. What is the difference between this and a small block of flats?
    There will always be people on MSE who advise against buying flats, or if someone is contemplating a semi, they will stress that detached is 'better.'

    It's likely, that these people have had a bad time in accommodation with party walls/floors. They usually add they are speaking from experience, but they may forget that there are millions of people out there whose experiences in the same situations have been generally positive.

    Because detached is more expensive, I was retired by the time I purchased a detached house. If I'd had a bad experience, it might have happened sooner, but I was happy with my neighbours in all the places I rented and bought over about 40 years.

    Indeed, it was only when I bought the detached with some acres of 'buffer zone' around that I ran into my first neighbour conflict; now happily resolved.
  • Hi all, the tree report has come back and states that there is no risk to the property due to the tree. The tenant has been handed his 4 week notice so now it's just about waiting for him to move out and then we can exchange contracts. Thank you all for your advice and help!
  • agrinnall
    agrinnall Posts: 23,344 Forumite
    10,000 Posts Combo Breaker
    Good news hopefully. I hope you are using '4 weeks notice' as shorthand as I'd doubt whether they actually have a notice period of 4 weeks. If you have really been told 4 weeks then I would get your solicitor to check that the notice given is valid because you may find at the end of 4 weeks that the tenant has not been legally asked to leave and the time could start again.
  • I'm now having the estate agents tell me that the tenant has a 4 week notice period, but the seller is telling me it is an 8 week notice period. I have no idea if the tenant has actually been handed his notice now. Is buying a place usually like this?
  • Doozergirl
    Doozergirl Posts: 34,082 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Landlord!!!8217;s notice is usually two calendar months. Tenant!!!8217;s is usually one calendar month. It usually runs from a rent day.

    Yes, there are always hoops to jump through. It!!!8217;s rarely easy.
    Everything that is supposed to be in heaven is already here on earth.
  • is it worth all this hassle and future potential hassle, for "a maisonette".... no.

    What a rude comment to make.
  • Davesnave
    Davesnave Posts: 34,741 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Is buying a place usually like this?
    It is if the landlord wants to screw every last penny out of the property, as stated in my earlier post.

    And re-read the last part of that. Eight weeks is certainly not guaranteed.
  • The end of the tenants notice expires on the 25th April, does anyone know if things can be pushed forward if the tenant finds a new place and moves out early? Or will i be forced to wait until that date anyway? Thanks all!
  • davidmcn
    davidmcn Posts: 23,596 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper
    Landlord and tenant can agree anything they like, so if tenant moves out earlier than yes the date can be brought forward.
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