Existing tenants in auctioned flat?

Existing tenants in auctioned flat?

9:33 AM, 2nd February 2024, About 10 months ago 18

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Hello readers, I am again seeking people’s superior knowledge. A flat in a block where I have the Freehold has been sold by auction owing to repossession. It has tenants in situ and they are nice, quiet, hard-working people.

The Leaseholder went into mortgage arrears and let’s just say he never wanted to spend money on anything. He didn’t conform to Landlord regulations. The electrics need upgrading so there is no Electrical Certificate, No EPC and probably no gas certificates either. The lease is also very low and the flat was sold cheaply, which is unsurprising.

I am wondering how the new owners can evict the tenants if the paperwork wasn’t in order from the former landlord?

Can they just start again with a new contract and get all the compliance done now?

They will no doubt raise the rent a lot.

Can they apply for a Section 21 or would they need all the evidence of compliance from the time the tenants moved in, which was over 3 years ago.

Also, how can the flat be sold legally with no EPC? And what if the tenants won’t allow access for it to be done?

Many thanks

Helen


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Helen

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20:58 PM, 3rd February 2024, About 9 months ago

Hello. A lot has come up here and much has been implied (or inferred, such as my assumed lack of knowledge of my Freeholder responsibilities) but I admit I didn't give full details in my original post. David has given the answer I most expected, and the reason I didn't want to risk buying the flat myself. I am the sole Freeholder.
A Fire Risk Assessment six months ago didn't raise any alarm bells. They had to pay cash as the Lease is so low and it was an auction sale. The buyer's solicitor will have to negotiate this can of worms.

Crossed_Swords

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6:23 AM, 4th February 2024, About 9 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Kizzie at 03/02/2024 - 09:14Of course the lease can be auctioned, quite often the case for the lender to auction repossessed properties. The tenants are not the freeholder's concern, all the regulations mentioned come under landlord law not leasehold law. If the flat doesn't comply with leasehold legislation then you pursue the leaseholder. Hopefully the new owners will get it sorted. The EPC does not necessarily have to be on the register. And what do you mean the original owner still holds the title? No they don't, the flat has been repossessed!

JB

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9:14 AM, 4th February 2024, About 9 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 02/02/2024 - 18:48
I know its slightly off topic but I'd like to ask what people do if a leasholder wont fit a compliant fire door to their flat - despite being asked many times. Could you use a section 146 for that? What if they still dont comply - I dont believe the lease could be forfeited.
I also have the same question about leasholders who dont pay their service charge in full.

Crossed_Swords

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10:13 AM, 4th February 2024, About 9 months ago

You can't actually use Section 146 for any of those cases and and rarely is forfeiture granted as later legislation and case law make it all but impossible. The threat though is often enough.

For compliance you have to establish the lease has been breached at the FTT then you may be able to apply for S146. However the tribunal will order that the breach is remedied. For service charges that is the county court for debt recovery or you can try a debt collection service

Kizzie

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10:41 AM, 4th February 2024, About 9 months ago

If a leaseholder is pursued for a debt then that is either a debt relating to GR or bills for cladding or waking watch or is in mortgage default or his business has gone bust then these are debts against the leaseholder and if LH cannot meet these debts or borrow then he can sell his lease asset to settle his debts.

If he continues to contribute to service charge under provisions of his lease then he is not in breach of his lease contract.

If he fails to contribute to service charge then this falls under Law of Property Act as breach of contract. Service charge is not company money. It is held in a statutory trust for landlords costs.SC Arrears can only be pursued by the landlord by following the obligations in the LHs lease and the LH has implied rights in his lease. See Morshead Mansions v Di Marco.

If the LH does not take steps to remedy then and only then a lease can be forfeited / the landlord enters the property but it is very rare, the management co. acting on behalf of the landlord is dormant.

The LH sells the lease with the outstanding service charge generally negotiated with the new purchaser of the lease.

JB

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15:04 PM, 4th February 2024, About 9 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Crossed_Swords at 04/02/2024 - 10:13
Thank you C_S for your reply. It seems getting a LH to comply with fire door regs is not that easy.

When a LH (this one has share of freehold) cannot pay their service charge I believe its possible to contact their mortgage company and get it added to their debt - though I guess the total debt cannot exceed their LTV - maybe they'd force a sale? Either way its a headache when the management company needs money for a new roof.

JB

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15:07 PM, 4th February 2024, About 9 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Kizzie at 04/02/2024 - 10:41
If the LH does not pay their full service charge or levy, then they are in breech of their lease. The LH in question has a tenant - to add another dimension to the situation as it could make a sale more difficult. Meanwhile the roof continues to leak

Crossed_Swords

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17:32 PM, 4th February 2024, About 9 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Kizzie at 04/02/2024 - 10:41
Kizzie, that could be correct yes. However the original post says that the property has been repossessed and sold at auction. Therefore your scenario cannot occur in this case as it's nothing to do with the lease or the freeholder. The new owner is now responsible. It is quite possible that some of the shortfall will need to be written off if the sale did not provide enough funds. Assuming the question is asked for general enlightenment then yes the new owner will probably have some difficulty in evicting the tenants but maybe they will keep them. It's not clear why Helen is asking so it is difficult to answer.

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