Buying the flat upstairs

[SarfEasticated]

Hi there, we live in the ground floor flat of a victorian semi - bought for £170000 valued at £240,000 and we need more space. I would like to buy the flat upstairs costing probably £240000, giving us a vic semi worth about £450000.
anyone done this before? how easy will it be for us to get a mortgage?
Thanks in advance for all your advice

the only thing i would investigate is planning permission. some councils frown upon a dwelling be converted back and in theory decreasing the housing stock- so this should be the very first thing you should check.

would you need to buy the freehold too? i mean, can you knock it back in to one house again if somebody else owns the stairs and landing?

Shame you need the space -you could prob rent it out depending on where you are but would rent cover mortgage ? Seriously my friends did it and it took yonks for Planning Permission Then they had to do loads of things with water etc supply I believe Cost al ot Then an energy co kept sending bills for the 2 sep addresses and that was a couple of years as well Maybe things have improved since then They did this in countryside mind you Urban areas may have completely diff Planning rstrictions

Ah thanks for that everyone - Celebin thanks for your words of warning - does sound like a complete faff.

We have the following 3 choices and I can't make my mind up

1. stay where we are so DD can get into lovely small local school, stay with all her nursery friends but be seriously cramped and frustrated as can't afford house in area
2. Move somewhere closish which is cheaper, buy small house, still maintain contact with local friends but go to a completely different school than any nursery friends
3. Move somewhere completely different where we could afford big house for a bit more than what we would get for our flat, but have to start again with friends. Good school though, but big. driving me mad trying to decide.

I would go for3 as children soon forget their nursery friends and you would get a bigger house. perhaps check out Secondary schools in all places too as these seem to have most probs . Of course if another baby were to appear then.....The mortgage lender would be delighted if you had the freehold as houses always go up more than flats (well historically but who knows in current economy?) See about Planning permission maybe and then if looks diff ...

Sorry forgot -was on chocolate bar! Best way re Planning Permission may be to ask your local elected Councillor for advice : may save time

Thanks again c and everyone else - the leaseholder is our local council - think it might not be a go-er - we would struggle to pay the mortgage on both if the interest rates went up