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Hi, I hope someone can advise me. We've just found out our house lease only has 60 years left. This would mean that when we bought the house, 10 years ago, there would only have been 70 years left. I thought that if it was under 80 years there would of been a problem getting a mortgage etc. We got a Halifax mortgage and was never told anything about the lease. Do we have a case to complain or if not can anyone recommend a solicitor to extend or buy the freehold.

Many thanks

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It really is something that should have been brought to your attention, it would be something that would have put alot of people off the purchase.

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On 11/01/2019 at 16:52, kwijjibo said:

Hi, I hope someone can advise me. We've just found out our house lease only has 60 years left. This would mean that when we bought the house, 10 years ago, there would only have been 70 years left. I thought that if it was under 80 years there would of been a problem getting a mortgage etc. We got a Halifax mortgage and was never told anything about the lease. Do we have a case to complain or if not can anyone recommend a solicitor to extend or buy the freehold.

Many thanks

Yes. Why on earth did your then solicitor not give you proper advice?

But after ten years you'd be out-of-time for any complaint: Limitation Act 1980.

Still, yes- you definitely ought to purchase the freehold reversion.

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Yes you should get some legal advice and seek a Solictor to purchase the freehold for your property it could be very expensive as its only got 60 years left the golden rule is to never let it go below 80years. Look for Mr Jeffrey Shaw on this forum he is a Lease specialist Solictor and is a moderator on this forum. ( i just hope your lease holders are not coppen estates ) 

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Many thanks for your replies. Sadly, yes it is with Coppen 😟. I have been in touch with them  just need to start the ball rolling as we are wanting to sell.

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On 18/01/2019 at 09:23, kwijjibo said:

Many thanks for your replies. Sadly, yes it is with Coppen. I have been in touch with them  just need to start the ball rolling as we are wanting to sell.

Coppen are NOT the 'leaseholders'- you are; Coppen owns what is probably just the freehold reversion.

Plus it's usually an unnecessary delay if you fruitlessly try to contact the company. Instead, have your solicitor serve a Notice of Claim [1967 Act] to start the formal mechanism in order to winkle-out your house's f/r.

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The free guide to valuation to buy the freehold title  for leasehold house can be downloaded  from  LEASE  :

 

  https://www.lease-advice.org/advice-guide/leasehold-houses-valuation/

 

There is an example valuation  for leasehold house with 65 years remaining and market value at £120K , the cost for buying the freehold title  came to around 6%. 

 

So for your leasehold house with 70 years remaining , the cost may be  roughly   around 4% ( its  just a  rough  guess ).

 

 

If you are looking for  a solicitor with  experience in L&T  matters , then   Jeffrey Shaw  is a good  choice   to ask  for a quote 

Edited by topflat29

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I recently successfully purchased the freehold title on my house in Hillsborough off Coppens Estates with the help of Jeffrey Shaw and James Murray at Jones Solicitors in Bawtry.
It had 81 years on the lease, i also was not properly advised when buying the house I don't feel, but these gentlemen were excellent at sorting the situation out. It took 4 years and Coppens were uncooperative at best. The whole process cost me £15k on a £140k house.
Best of luck!

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On 24/01/2019 at 15:32, CoffeeQween said:

I recently successfully purchased the freehold title on my house in Hillsborough off Coppens Estates with the help of Jeffrey Shaw and James Murray at Jones Solicitors in Bawtry.
It had 81 years on the lease, i also was not properly advised when buying the house I don't feel, but these gentlemen were excellent at sorting the situation out. It took 4 years and Coppens were uncooperative at best. The whole process cost me £15k on a £140k house.
Best of luck!

It took 4 years and 15k wow 😮. Just make sure if anyone is buying a house that the leaseholder/ freeholder is not with coppen estates. Best to buy a free hold property. 

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On 25/01/2019 at 19:48, Billy-Jean said:

It took 4 years and 15k wow 😮. Just make sure if anyone is buying a house that the leaseholder/ freeholder is not with coppen estates. Best to buy a free hold property. 

Yes, buying a freehold is better (if it's a house, not a flat).

But someone wanting to buy a leasehold house (P) could arrange for the leasehold vendor (V) to serve a Notice of Claim once contracts are exchanged, as long as V has owned the leasehold for at least two years. That way, P would not need to wait another two years.

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