User Profile

[andybenw]

I can't imagine the council will stretch to helping out paying mortgages for investment properties.

[andybenw]

Enfranchised shared freeholds normally don't collect ground rent because that ground rent has been reduced to a 'peppercorn'. Once you have bought, if the other freeholders don't agree to you extending your lease, after 2 years you can force a mandatory extension of 90 years. With ground rent a peppercorn,...

[andybenw]

.I wonder if this was something simple that the tenant could have cleared by plunging the shower.

[andybenw]

Apply for pre planning advice with your own rough drawings??

[andybenw]

If you don't know and can't work it out, then pay for a professional risk assessment. The assessments themselves are not all that expensive, ours for a 3 storey conversion cost £280.

[andybenw]

For what it's worth, I am in this type of shared freehold. After a few years of hard battles to get maintenance reasonably up to scratch we now have new neighbours upstairs. Unfortunately they are first time homeowners, as a couple of other new leaseholders have been. It gets wearisome retreading...

[andybenw]

Unless you are looking to live in the place for over 15 years or so then the lease length doesn't really matter to you. Seems like there is goodwill at present, maybe use that good will to extend your lease to 900 years after you buy, with ground rent a peppercorn there's not much reason for them to...

[andybenw]

But they CAN just make it up. As long as everyone agrees. As the major hurdle in these type of shared freeholds is getting unanimous freeholder decisions made, it could even be argued that making it up is for the best as long as everyone is happy with the situation.

Otherwise without agreement...

[andybenw]

Our block renewal has just come through. Not much change.

[andybenw]

I agree with sgclacy. It's entirely possible for a new soil pipe run to be entirely inappropriate so the landlord has to retain some sort of control....

[andybenw]

Firstly does your mum realise she will lose her rights to 'pop in' and check over the annex.

Think about this possible problem if the utilities are not split. If the new tenant loses their job (or is just a baddun) becomes a non payer it becomes a huge problem. Above and beyond the normal...

[andybenw]

As you've found out when you take apart a deteriorated rubber seal it's hard to remake that seal. However left in place they will generally continue.

So, replace if you take apart and can't reseal. Pretty much what you've done.

Sometimes the build up of crud if really difficult...

[andybenw]

I'm in the South East/South, and judging by my last house hunt (and previous) round here virtually everyone has gas. As in except for a new build I would be very surprised to see an electric cooker. Wooden subfloors too mainly so electric could be easily run but isn't. If owner occupiers mainly prefer...

[andybenw]

Actually HMO definition is just 2 or more households. Its just that 2 singles have an exemption from HMO regulations.[Still an HMO but regulations do not apply]...

[andybenw]

I can't speak for all tenants like some others, but if I were choosing a property having a gas hob would be a positive for me. I imagine an inductive cooker hob would have many of the same benefits, but most folks have not had experience of inductive, and would probably be wary that not all their pans...

[andybenw]

Not all electricians are members of competent persons schemes. Many 'time served' electricians who have completed an apprenticeship see them as 'scams' and choose not to join. However, they will normally produce a JIB(ECS) card to prove their competence and as well as their apprenticeship will have...

[andybenw]

I must admit, if someone wished to be my lodger (and I have had lodgers now for 13 years), I wouldn't be giving someone with pets any consideration whatsoever. Just move on to the next, there are plenty of people out there wishing to rent rooms (if you set the price at the correct level!!!!!).

[andybenw]

Sounds like the heating doesn't need fixed, just that some tenants don't want it on as long (presumably to save money on bills.

Although I don't agree with with DPT57 that you are necessarily 'mismanaging' as in not carrying out your HMO manager duties, I do agree with them that if you...

[andybenw]

I imagine the freeholder is trying to get the roofer to wait 21 days in order to prove that the work has fixed the leak?? In which case maybe ask the freeholder just to employ the (or another) roofer, and just hold back payment without pre telling the roofer. Obviously a bit shitty on the roofer,...

[andybenw]

Would certainly be a sensible thing to do though even if not mandatory.