Does anyone have experience of buying a leasehold house?

[Tobermory]

We made an offer on a house and a week in we’ve just discovered it’s leasehold. Finding it quite scary and rather off putting having previously owned only freehold.

Having solicitor look at it ASAP but so far we know...
The lease is 1999 years
It’s capped for the first 25 years at £150 per annum
The house is 11 years old.

Have read the lease but even though it’s a year year old document the terminology is pretty confusing! Trying to plough through it now to highlight things we want to talk to the solicitor about.

What do we need to look out for?
Any leasehold ‘goodnews’ Stories?

We are buying a leasehold but are going to purchase the freehold at the same time. It's costing us just under £2000 to do this including both solicitors fees and searches. We are going to be extending and renovating the property so think it is worth doing. It will also mean people like yourself won't be put off buying it in the future

The double the ground rent trick is the biggest worry. Where I am the only leasehold houses are either ex-housing association or part of a National Park. Those are fine and it was set up like that for a valid reason. The new leasehold houses I wouldn't touch with a barge pole. It's a pain in the arse drawings up leases and the developers legal fees would reflect that. Why do that when selling the freeholds is easier and the traditional way? Its because it produces more profits. Dodgy, it would make me worry whether they are scamming on anything else.

2move, buying the leasehold is the top of the list for the solicitor. It would be our preference , for pieceof mind and to try to future proof things a litttle.

OMDG, agree there doesn’t seem to be a logical reason for leaseholds of a modern house, certainly seems to be another way to squeeze more money out of buyers over the longer term.

OP, please ignore the EA telling you the houses sell easily! Of course s/he would.

It very much depends on the leasehold scheme, and a house leasehold isn't necessarily the same as a flat leasehold.
I own a leasehold house with original 999 years lease. I also own 1 share of the freehold out of our association of 60 houses on the estate. The purpose of the leasehold is purely to self manage communal areas of the estate. Our ground rent is £1 a year. Our service charge depends on the works to be done, but it is small and self inflicted. I love my leasehold house.