Leasehold And Extensions

[Biggins86 10]

Hi all

 

i apologise if anyone’s brought this up before but I’ve been through a few threads and was just after a straight answer and some idea of what to do.

 

Basically I’ve bought a house that’s leasehold. The freeholder is coppen estates. I want to build a single story extension on the back. I’ve had the plans approved and all drawn up and the builder is good to go when we are ready.

 

can anyone tell me the best way to contact coppen estates and wether I just need to send them a copy of the plans with a letter saying what I want to do or is there something more?

 

if anyone can point me in the right direction I’d appreciate it 

[spider1 11]

12 hours ago, Biggins86 said:

Hi all

 

i apologise if anyone’s brought this up before but I’ve been through a few threads and was just after a straight answer and some idea of what to do.

 

Basically I’ve bought a house that’s leasehold. The freeholder is coppen estates. I want to build a single story extension on the back. I’ve had the plans approved and all drawn up and the builder is good to go when we are ready.

 

can anyone tell me the best way to contact coppen estates and wether I just need to send them a copy of the plans with a letter saying what I want to do or is there something more?

 

if anyone can point me in the right direction I’d appreciate it 

Good luck i wold see J shaw let him sortt it

[Thirsty Relic 214]

1 hour ago, spider1 said:

Good luck i wold see J shaw let him sortt it

I'd guess that the poster, being relatively new, isn't aware that Jeffrey Shaw is a Solicitor with Nether Edge Law and is a frequent poster on this site.  He may respond to this post and if so, his work details will be there for you to contact him for further assistance.  Good luck!

[Jeffrey Shaw 90]

Yes, here I am.

I'm not going to regurgitate several other threads' contents, however.

Just be aware that:

a. you should carefully read your lease to see for exactly what you would need consent;

b. Coppen does not usually reply quickly; and

c. it may seek to charge a fee different from what s.19(2) of the Landlord and Tenant 1927 allows [see other threads re this].

[Biggins86 10]

11 minutes ago, Jeffrey Shaw said:

Yes, here I am.

I'm not going to regurgitate several other threads' contents, however.

Just be aware that:

a. you should carefully read your lease to see for exactly what you would need consent;

b. Coppen does not usually reply quickly; and

c. it may seek to charge a fee different from what s.19(2) of the Landlord and Tenant 1927 allows [see other threads re this].

Thanks for the advice it’s my first time dealing with anything like this. I’ll check the lease over tonight. 
 

if I do need to contact them about it is a covering letter telling them what I want to do and a copy of the plans the correct route to go down?

 

again apologies if I’m repeating questions but trawling through old threads left me a bit confused 

[RiffRaff 10]

Not saying this would apply to you, but I'll tell you my experience - albeit 18 years ago - about leases and extensions.

 

We'd been in the property for umpteen years, had sold subject to contract, and had successfully bid for our next house. At the 11th hour, our solicitoradvised that there was a problem with the leaseholder, an outfit in London, to whom we'd paid some insignificant fee every year we'd lived there.

They claimed that the 2-storey extension - erected prior to us buying the property - was unknown to them, and therefore claimed that the previous occupants hadn't had their permission to build it.

Someone had to pay retrospectively - and that was us.

We weren't allowed to negotiate. No phone calls or letters allowed. The only communication permitted was by fax, and payment - ci rca £600 from memory - had to be done by bank transfer.

If we hadn't paid  - or worse, hadn't been able to pay - the whole house sale and subsequent next purchase - would have fallen through.

We tried to find out whether it was true that notification/permission hadn't been granted all those years before, but found out that solicitors only had to keep documents relating to house purchases for - don't quote me - 12 years, and therefore we could never prove/disprove that permission hadn't been sought/granted.

We had no option but to cough up, and the whole business still rankles...

 

 

 

Edited December 6, 2020 by RiffRaff

[sedith 19]

Leasehold ... forget it!! Walk away and don't look back! I hope it works out for you Biggins86. Get yourself an expert in this sort of situation like Mr J Shaw.

Leasehold:- Been there, got the T-Shirt on that one and been well and truly stuffed along the journey.

[topflat29 10]

What is the unexpired years remaining on the lease and what is the annual ground rent ? 

 

Its usually better to buy the freehold title of the leasehold  house  before you consider adding  extension to the house.

[Jeffrey Shaw 90]

6 hours ago, topflat29 said:

What is the unexpired years remaining on the lease and what is the annual ground rent ? 

 

Its usually better to buy the freehold title of the leasehold  house  before you consider adding  extension to the house.

BUT there's no statutory enfranchisement rights until one's owned the leasehold for at least two years.

Coppen never sells unless there are statutory enfranchisement rights and Notice of Claim is served.

[gluedtopc 10]

Been on BBC News this lunchtime that Leasehold is going to be altered in a big way. Don’t know when though but it looks like a bid improvement. 

 

[geared 315]

Just plans at the moment, which have been talked about for some time.

 

 

[Jeffrey Shaw 90]

Yes, it's merely HMG re-announcing plans previously promulgated by the Law Commission.

 

I doubt that there's Parliamentary time available at present, what with Virus-related matters.

Even once a Bill is read, there'll be major debates on its various changes; and amendments; and inevitably a lengthy period from enactment to commencement.

 

My wish is that MPs/the L.C. might use the chance to modernise/re-write/consolidate scores of interlocking Acts (which often amend previous ones quite severely) into a single, accessible whole. That would greatly help everyone: landlords and tenants in particular, quite apart from solicitors.