Really confused over leasehold and freehold query

jodenice · 24 June 2019 at 2:36PM

I have a mortgage on my flat, its a house that was converted into top and bottom flats, the people upstairs own half the freehold and I do too, I think. We are all shown as having a share in the freehold (the top two owners and me)

Upstairs are selling. They mentioned a leasehold on theirs, so I've got the land registry stuff from a friend who works at conveyancing company, because I didn't think either of us had a lease.

The documents show that we all own the freehold and they have lease on their flat. But it also shows that the previous owners of my flat paid for a lease of 99 years, many years ago but its somehow not attached to my property.

Do I need to do anything? I'm not selling anyway, I'm here for a long time yet. If I don't now, what about when I sell?

Land_Registry · 24 June 2019 at 4:35PM

jodenice wrote: »

I have a mortgage on my flat, its a house that was converted into top and bottom flats, the people upstairs own half the freehold and I do too, I think. We are all shown as having a share in the freehold (the top two owners and me)

Upstairs are selling. They mentioned a leasehold on theirs, so I've got the land registry stuff from a friend who works at conveyancing company, because I didn't think either of us had a lease.

The documents show that we all own the freehold and they have lease on their flat. But it also shows that the previous owners of my flat paid for a lease of 99 years, many years ago but its somehow not attached to my property.

Do I need to do anything? I'm not selling anyway, I'm here for a long time yet. If I don't now, what about when I sell?

I don;t really follow the bit I have quoted in red - can you email me at customer.service@landregistry.gov.uk with the title number(s) you have and I can take a look and hopefully explain things for you?
Mark the subject as MSE - Really confused over leasehold and freehold query

jodenice · 24 June 2019 at 5:19PM

Thank you I will do that now.

minimike2 · 24 June 2019 at 9:23PM

What part of the country are you in? North East or Wales by any chance?

It sounds like a crossover lease, common on "Tyneside Flats" and other such properties in certain parts of the country where properties were built and sometimes converted, to an arrangement of a flat on each floor with their own individual access.

Land_Registry · 25 June 2019 at 8:33AM

I have replied to your email but the following will help any wider understanding for others

The property is divided into two flats, FFF and GFF. The OP owns one and both leases are referred to on the Freehold title. The freehold title is owned by the flat owners so each has a share of the freehold. Quite common where you have single properties and 2 or 3 flats

The other flat owner is selling so the freehold also has to be transferred from all the freehold owners, who are also the individual leasehold/flat owners.

This should happen each and every time a flat is sold so it's important to remember this as if you forget it can cause major problems as you end up with an old flat owner still owning the freehold even after they have long gone

Really confused over leasehold and freehold query

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