Hi folks,

I'm moving from a leasehold flat to a freehold ex-council terraced house, mainly due to the ridiculous service charges and poor management of our block.

There is a schedule in the freehold that says I contribute and pay towards maintaining and renewing sewers, drains, cables and party walls relevant to the property.

Obviously, I'm very anxious that the council may make unreasonable charges, I've rang them up directly and asked if they have any kind of indication of what needs renewing, or how much has been charged in the past for similar properties. They are just saying they don't know and are generally very unhelpful.

Does anyone have experience of these charges? How reasonable are they? and can they be challenged? I know how the leasehold system works, and have been to the LVT - but I'm not sure how I stand legally with these charges and what kind of pressure there is on the council to give value for money.

Any help or indications would be most helpful.

Thanks
Jonathan

Well with a Freehold, then you have no obligation to keep your property in any condition, as long as it is upright, and you don't inconvenience the neighbours by sharing damp / mould / rats with them.

Leasehold; you have service charges and have to pay the owner of the land for the privilege of living there.

Freehold, you own the land. You own the building. It's pretty much yours to do with as you wish (within the laws of the country, of course).

Ary.

Just re-read. That stuff just means that is the bit of your sewerage pipe that runs from your property to the edge of your property needs replacing, you pay for it. Same with cables &c. These are not regular service charges, but are standard house expenses. The council will not know how much the water company charges to fix a broken drain. You can get fairly inexpensive cover for stuff like that from your water company, so it's nothing to worry about really. Nothing like flat service charges.

Party walls means you can't knock down your house and re-build if it means your neighbours houses will fall down because of it. All normal, fairly sensible every day stuff.

Ary.