Major Works after buying a Flat

[Callmedude]

Hello

Please would someone be able to help me. We recently purchase an ex local authority flat this month, the freeholder is a SE London council.

When we purchased the flat we were told that there was a service charge apportionment as we were completing during the financial year. We agreed to pay the vendor a portion of the annual service charge. The situation arose as on exchange/completion day (same day exchange and completion), we were only given the amount on email without the freeholder statement. As the amount was only £652 we were not too concerned and was happy to complete on this basis.

We were sent afterwards the statement which does show the remaining amount as £652 however there was a current balance of around £3,000 in respect of major works which was billed in June 2015.

Although we haven't been chased by the freeholder I'm woried that the major works plus any new major works bills we might be liable for. We never agreed or was asked during the purchase transaction to pay any of the major works and am taken aback by this.

Can anyone advise where we stand and if we ae liable considering we completed in July 15 and these were billed in June. Additionally if new major works bill arose which I assume would have been tendored for previously would be also be liable? I have read that you can go to theTrubuneral?

Any help or advice would be greatly appreiciated.

[Gordon999]

Your conveyancing solicitor should be answering the questions you have raised. its normal for buyer's conveyancing solicitor to make enquiries with freeholder on the cost of planned works before any exchange contracts.

[ram]

Sounds like the seller did not forward the June statement / bill, and can be understandable if they are moving out, and maybe forgot to forward, but the freeholder will have know about all the curent and proposed service charges, and if asked ( Note :- if asked ) to produce costs for works not yet started, but part of the service charges, freeholder would have forwarded these costs to you.

If they did not, then they are not at fault, as they don't have to answer any questions from the buyer.

If there is planned maintenence, or proposed maintenence, or items deemed to need doing after you bought the lease, but not yet started, and not yet paid for, then as you are the leaseholders, you are responsible to pay for maintenence, or any works that have been planned to be undertaken, but not yet started.

Like a car, "he did not tell me it needed a Full service, new tyres and an expensive gearbox in 3 months time, when I bought the car"
Car belongs to you, you pay for the repairs and maintenence, and not the previous owner.