Buying a former Council flat
If you are considering buying a flat that is now leasehold, but
was previously owned by Thanet District Council, there are several
things you should consider.
To begin with, your solicitor should make a
Leasehold Enquiry. When enquiring about a lease, your
solicitor should:
- Find out the level of the service charges. Your
solicitor should contact the Leasehold Management Team to request
details and copies of the last three years certificates.
- The service charge is a debt on the property, and not a
personal debt that goes with the former leaseholder. So, if you buy
a flat where the service charge has not been paid (arrears), you
will become responsible for paying the charges. Because of this,
you should make sure that your solicitor gets confirmation from the
Leasehold Management Team before you complete the purchase, that
the service charge has been cleared up prior to the date of
sale.
- Check if there are any planned major works to the property over
the coming 5 years at least, so that you can assess your future
liability.
Your Lease
When you buy a flat, you are buying only part of a larger
building. Thanet District Council as owner of the block, keeps
responsibility for maintaining all shared areas and services such
as caretaking, lighting and cleaning. We are entitled to a
contribution towards the cost of managing and maintaining the
block. This kind of ownership is called 'leasehold'.
The lease is a contract between you and the council. It sets out
details about:
- The meaning of various terms used in the lease
- Your responsibilities and rights
- Our responsibilities and rights