Buying a home and don't know how anything works

[miss direct]

Its a maisonette and I'm not responsible for the roof or external walls. I do get the point though.

 

[Epona]

And if the survey failed to show up stuff that should have been obvious in a survey that later results in you paying to do remedial work, you can sue the shit out of them.

The point of a survey is to make sure your own arse is fully covered.

 

[Epona]

Its a maisonette and I'm not responsible for the roof or external walls. I do get the point though.

You are responsible to pay a % of any repair/remedial works to the external walls though, which means you should be more interested in them than you appear to be. It isn't something that doesn't affect you, and you do need to know before exchange of contracts whether you could be facing a 20k repair bill via the freeholder within the next few years.

 

[miss direct]

You are responsible to pay a % of any repair/remedial works to the external walls though, which means you should be more interested in them than you appear to be. It isn't something that doesn't affect you, and you do need to know before exchange of contracts whether you could be facing a 20k repair bill via the freeholder within the next few years.

Ok but none of that was looked at in the survey. Actually its so long ago that I can barely remember, ill take another look. Good reminder.

 

[scifisam]

Its a maisonette and I'm not responsible for the roof or external walls. I do get the point though.

Didn't that mean that you didn't need to pay as much as for a survey that did include that?

It's just such a huge financial outlay. I don't get why anyone - not you - would want to skimp on something that's an extra few hundred on top of the amount you're already paying, when it could save you a huge amount more. But then I always get travel insurance too.

 

[miss direct]

I really can't remember..I got the survey type that was recommended. The whole process is extremely confusing as a solo first time buyer.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

You are responsible to pay a % of any repair/remedial works to the external walls though, which means you should be more interested in them than you appear to be. It isn't something that doesn't affect you, and you do need to know before exchange of contracts whether you could be facing a 20k repair bill via the freeholder within the next few years.

and the searches the solicitor is doing should include asking the freeholder if any notice to leaseholders has been issued / is in preparation about major works.

can't remember if i mentioned Home - The Leasehold Advisory Service before. may be worth having a look if you're not sure how leasehold works

 

[Epona]

and the searches the solicitor is doing should include asking the freeholder if any notice to leaseholders has been issued / is in preparation about major works.

can't remember if i mentioned Home - The Leasehold Advisory Service before. may be worth having a look if you're not sure how leasehold works

Oh true, they have to let you know about works that are planned when you buy the place. They can do works after that though and send you a bill for £18k and demand payment within 2 years though. (This happened to me, I am not making it up or conjecturing. I couldn't afford to pay it, my parents paid it out of their meagre savings so I didn't have to go back and live with them - no joke).

So it is worth knowing whether the walls look like they might need re-pointing during the next 20 years, or whether the roof looks like it might need re-felting during the next 20 years. Etc.

 

[Puddy_Tat]

They can do works after that though and send you a bill for £18k and demand payment within 2 years though. (This happened to me, I am not making it up or conjecturing).

 

[miss direct]

Ugh Nothing was mentioned in the searches about planned works. Building looks in decent nick - not that I know anything about building works, but just in comparison to some other places I've lived in the past.

Please don't make me panic and regret everything at this stage

 

[Epona]

It's fine if a leasehold place does need work done, but you absolutely cannot claim ignorance about that - only owning the inside walls doesn't mean that you are exempt from paying a share of repairs/maintenance on the external structure. They only need to let you know about planned works in the next few years, but if in 10 years the place needs a new roof, you will have to pay a share of that (your % share will be in the lease documents) and you probably won't get any say in when or how or who does that roof work, you'll just get a bill.

 

[Epona]

If nothing was mentioned in the searches, it means you will probably be ok with regard to major works for the next 5-7 years or thereabouts.

 

[miss direct]

I know this already and it's a risk I suppose anyone takes when buying a flat. Out of interest though, what happens if someone just doesn't have the money?

 

[Epona]

I know this already and it's a risk I suppose anyone takes when buying a flat. Out of interest though, what happens if someone just doesn't have the money?

You go through a long legal process and eventually get evicted if you cannot pay.

(If you are on benefits you can be exempt from certain payments though, if the freeholder is a local authority)

 

[oryx]

I know this already and it's a risk I suppose anyone takes when buying a flat. Out of interest though, what happens if someone just doesn't have the money?

I'm guessing you could remortgage?

Disclaimer - I've only ever owned freehold so 'guessing' is the operative word, no first hand experience.

 

[miss direct]

Did some digging around and it seems like the blocks similar to mine all got upgraded/had major works done in 2017 fingers crossed

 

[Epona]

This is the sort of thing that you should ask your conveyancing solicitor about - this is part of their job and if they don't know about it then they are being fecking useless. Ask about when major works were last done - roofing, window replacement, pointing, insulation. Ask if any works are planned in the next 7 years (I think 7 years is the bracket when the seller or leaseholder is legally obliged to tell your solicitor if they have works planned during that period).

 

[miss direct]

Just a bit confused as to whether this stuff would show up in searches or in the management pack from the council. I did receive a massage pack of searches but the only things I noticed on there weren't anything to do with planned works.

 

[Epona]

They (the council) legally have to tell you if they have major works planned in the next x number of years (I have 7 years in my head, but it could be shorter or longer than that if it has changed recently). But if they haven't told you anything and your conveyancing solicitor doesn't inform you of any works planned then you will not be liable to pay for them iirc.

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

I know t

 

[Shippou-Sensei]

This is off topic but every time I see this thread in new posts I get a mental image of someone trapped in a house not knowing how to use doors, windows, taps, etc. Just wandering the house in bewilderment and despair.

 

[Epona]

This is off topic but every time I see this thread in new posts I get a mental image of someone trapped in a house not knowing how to use doors, windows, taps, etc. Just wandering the house in bewilderment and despair.

Absofuckinglutely - my stopcock is jammed and I don't know how anything works

 

[Boudicca]

Just a bit confused as to whether this stuff would show up in searches or in the management pack from the council. I did receive a massage pack of searches but the only things I noticed on there weren't anything to do with planned works.

It's the management pack. I did say right at the beginning that if the council was the leaseholder, that would be the last bit of paperwork to come in. So your solicitor has got this and is asking a couple of further (possibly pointless) questions to prove that they have read it. have they sent you the management pack and questions yet?

 

[baldrick]

Re: not getting a survey. One of my best friends, a barrister, recently bought a house without a survey. I only know about this because, a month after moving in, her kitchen has started to fall in due to the rain, she's having to get builders in to put up a steel joist and the roof apparently needs urgent work.

Absolutely no fucking idea why she didn't get a survey. Her sister didn't get one on her house - a few doors down - so reckoned it would be fine, and my friend has reason to trust her sister's judgment in general. But it's a £700k property, a Victorian house, why the fuck would you not get a survey?

My uncle did the same when him and my aunt downsized when all their kids left home. Bought a cottage for just the two of them. It collapsed into a mine shaft basically and they lost all the money they had built up for their retirement.

 

[moonsi til]

I definitely wouldn't be buying a property without a survey, buying a property will likely be the most expensive purchase(s) you will make. I often think that I took more time over buying a dress for a wedding than I did my most expensive purchase. By that I mean I could have the dress at home, try it on & return easily if I changed my mind. With a property you look at photos, check out the area, do a viewing where you walk around trying not to show any emotion then if you want it you put in a offer & might be competing with others. If successful you can do a second viewing where you can look a bit more but will be nothing like what you did trying on that dress.

Re building repairs I pay a monthly fee & part of that fee will be saved for future works. The lease company will know when the shared areas will need painting again & estimate for when windows need replacing etc. My flat is one of approx 32 so a fairly big amount. I pay £10 ground rent & between £50-£60 per month in fees though I pay every 6 months. Just before I bought in 2005 there was new windows and since then the shared areas have been painted twice that I recall & the garage & parking areas tidied up/painted.

ETA: there will be money put in the pot for 'future works' & bar any emergencies you will know in advance. I just remembered our intercom system was updated. I remain anti-leasehold & welcome changes in the law that I hope is coming.

 

[prunus]

You are responsible to pay a % of any repair/remedial works to the external walls though, which means you should be more interested in them than you appear to be. It isn't something that doesn't affect you, and you do need to know before exchange of contracts whether you could be facing a 20k repair bill via the freeholder within the next few years.

This (ascertaining any outstanding or upcoming/potential maintenance charges) is your solicitor’s job to do as part of the review of the lease, management pack etc, rather than the survey per se.

 

[Leafster]

This (ascertaining any outstanding or upcoming/potential maintenance charges) is your solicitor’s job to do as part of the review of the lease, management pack etc, rather than the survey per se.

However, a full survey may well point out that things like the roof will probably need replacing in X number of years even if the management company haven't considered it in their planned schedule of future works. It can act as a review of the competence of the management company.

 

[Leafster]

I'm guessing you could remortgage?

Disclaimer - I've only ever owned freehold so 'guessing' is the operative word, no first hand experience.

Yes, the leaseholder could try to remortgage but if they don't then there's another way.

If the leaseholder has a mortgage it will be listed on the "deeds" held at the Land Registry.

I don't know if it's still possible but the freeholder could contact the mortgage company and tell them the leaseholder is in breach of their lease agreement and are risking forfeiture * of the lease by not paying their service charges. The mortgage company then stump up the cash and add it the leaseholder's mortgage.

* breaching the terms of the lease could result in the freeholder repossessing the property and, as Epona said, the leaseholder would be evicted. As far as I am aware, it's an extremely rare occurrence and would only happen as a last resort. (My knowledge maybe out of date on this)

 

[hash tag]

There is much happening...

Re: not getting a survey. One of my best friends, a barrister, recently bought a house without a survey. I only know about this because, a month after moving in, her kitchen has started to fall in due to the rain, she's having to get builders in to put up a steel joist and the roof apparently needs urgent work.

Absolutely no fucking idea why she didn't get a survey. Her sister didn't get one on her house - a few doors down - so reckoned it would be fine, and my friend has reason to trust her sister's judgment in general. But it's a £700k property, a Victorian house, why the fuck would you not get a survey?

A barrister as well. If anyone knows how people are ripped off I suppose

Have to say that so far, my survey was a waste of money. Obviously when the survey was done there were still carpets down, so the man had no idea what was underneath, but everything else on there I could have just spotted with my own eyes and saved myself the several hundred pounds.

Had an incident with a house"mate" tonight. If I make it out of this sodding shared house without having a massive argument, it will be amazing.

Not exchanged yet then?

Its a maisonette and I'm not responsible for the roof or external walls. I do get the point though.

Look back through posts. As a leaseholder you are jointly responsible for the roof, the foundations, the walls and common parts. You could be on the ground floor of a tower block and the roof could have an impact on you. The other side, if you were on the ground floor would you want to be solely responsible for foundations and drains?

Ugh Nothing was mentioned in the searches about planned works. Building looks in decent nick - not that I know anything about building works, but just in comparison to some other places I've lived in the past.

Please don't make me panic and regret everything at this stage

Are people getting planned works confused. Searches from local authority will reveal major planned works in neighbourhood. Enquiries of freeholder will tell you about major works planned to building.

 

[Boudicca]

Are people getting planned works confused. Searches from local authority will reveal major planned works in neighbourhood. Enquiries of freeholder will tell you about major works planned to building.

It's an ex-council place so the council are the freeholder