Buying freehold

[brehenyk]

Currently at sale agreed on a house with a 74 year leasehold title. I want to purchase the freehold interest of the house. Premliminary investigations by my solicitor with vendors solicitor has resulted in no information on the owner of the freehold. Rents have not been collected in at least 40 years, length of time current owner has been living there.
My question is, what happens if the next of kin of the initial owner of freehold from 1889 cannot be located?
My solicitor is being quite vague, saying it is only a matter of time and money without telling me how much money. Has anyone had experience of this type of situation. Would be grateful for any advice.

 

[Dermot]

I am far from an expert on this but maybe you might find something in the link below and you can do some more research from the links shown in the attached link. Copy and paste and let us know how you get on.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/owning_a_home/home_owners/ground_rent.html

 

[brehenyk]

Thanks Dermot,
I have done quite a bit of searching online but cannot find info on how it works where the landlord is not known.It seems pretty straight forward and not prohibitively costly process if the landlord is known.

 

[moneybox]

This is only relevant to the UK, dont know if the same applies in Ireland

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2690487

 

[Dermot]

Your Solicitor is aware that there is a 74 year leasehold title so surely there is a name for the original owner of the freehold. That original owner is more than likely dead so you may have to do more digging. I presume you have a folio number for the property.
Did you try the property registration for guidance.
I attach 2 links which you probably have read

http://businessandlegal.ie/ground-rents

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/housing/owning_a_home/buying_a_home/property_deeds.html

 

[twofor1]

I have done quite a bit of searching online but cannot find info on how it works where the landlord is not known.

I think you need to apply via the arbitration procedure, AFAIK, its a bit more tedious and involves few extra formalities and forms, but is still a relatively straightforward process.

How do I apply? – By CONSENT PROCEDURE (see below) if you can contact your landlord/s and agree a purchase price for the Freehold Title. Once you have paid the purchase price to the landlord/s, he/they will complete a Consent Form/s. The onus of obtaining all of the necessary Consents lies with you as the applicant. If consent is not forthcoming, or if the identity of your Landlord/s is/are unknown, you may apply by arbitration procedure.

http://www.prai.ie/guidelines-for-ground-rents-purchase-scheme/

 

[brehenyk]

Thanks all, much appreciated. I know teh identity of the original owner of the freehold (125 years ago) but none of his successors. I love the house and this was a worry for me but from what I have been reading in most cases a few thousand is the norm, which is manageable. If moneybox link applies to Ireland I may have to wait a while but that fine as long as its sorted in the end.