when you buy a flat do you have contact with the freeholder direct?

[whatcolourisyourwednesday]

I'm a member and director of a freeholder for a group of 8 flats. We have all the usual dramas about parking/how to do the shared garden, etc.

For the first time another flat is being sold. It's being sold by the other director.

The buyers seem to have some unrealistic expectations about parking. I've sent a reply in writing to the seller in the hope that her estate agent will pass it on. But though I trust the seller I don't trust the agent to "lay it on the line". I live here too and I dread the new neighbour turning up and thinking they have put stuff in the communal areas (that's what I've said no to) or something get something more than 1 car into the tight parking space.

Will the freeholder be contacted by the buyer's solicitor in due course as matters progress? And will that give me a chance to make sure the buyer is buying with eyes open?

thank you.

Put a notice up in the hall setting out the rules? They should see it when they visit.

crikey that would be offputting!

too late anyway - they've agreed a price and seller has taken the property off the market.

Buyers solicitor would normally submit a form LPE1 to the freeholder which relates to leasehold enquiries .

that's super helpfull daily mail. Sounds like I will have my chance to make sure expectations have been correctly set!

I've had a look at the form daily mail.

Do you think I will be able to charge for the freeholder's time spent completing it?

Will I have to send a copy to the seller or will it be semi-private between Freeholder and Buyer?

We are actually on top of all of our paperwork so I feel quite proud of most of the things. But there is a history, that's for sure.

The company can charge a reasonable fee, which the seller pays.

Why would you want to keep the answers from the seller? Anything contentious, they would know already.

Thanks Minnie.

The seller and I are close friends. I will feel pressured to minimise certain situations from the past if he is seeing the answers too. So as not to seem that I am jearpardising the sale.

I need to get my big girl pants on don't I?

Afraid so. You have to be honest but factual. If there have been "situations", the buyer's solicitor will dig until they feel they have the full picture.

ah ok good.

so I say "we served a 146 notice in 2015" and the buyer's solicitor will then be the one that digs out the dirt.

That suits me well because it's not like I'm "spilling" everything - I think you're saying that a decent buyer's solicitor will consider it their job to find out where the bodies are buried.

I feel much better now, thanks for taking the time to respond.

Yes, but include a copy of the notice and any other documents it refers to. You'll be asked for them anyway.

right. so better to just hand it over as a one-off job.

I'm definitely charging for this!