Can I buy the freehold title on a lease hold house with a manhole in the garden?

M

MillerI

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I am trying to buy a house that was built on Council owned land in 1971, subject to a lease of 15 Pounds/year for 150 years. There are 97 years of lease left on the house and I understand banks will not issue mortgages for properties with less than 75 years left on the lease.

Dun Laoghaire CoCo own the lease (transferred from Dublin City Council), and I intend to ask to buy it, if I proceed to buy the house. However, since there is a manhole in the back garden of the house, I was wondering if anyone knows whether local authorities can refuse to sell the lease on such houses. Alternatively, could DLR CoCo refuse to sell to me on any other grounds?

Thank you in advance!
 
The house must be in you name before they will consider it.
I don’t think a manhole will make much difference too the sale thought.
 
Hm, but could the council say they need access to the manhole so they're not selling the land it is on? Have they ever said this before?
 
What's the manhole for??

I've a manhole in my back garden on the patio and most of my neighbours do as well in different areas of their back gardens
Their all for our sewage and waste water, mine is shallow others are six feet deep and after eight houses it connects to the main sewer on the main road to the front of our houses
In our case and I would presume most situations like ours the council is not responsible for the sewers or drains on private property like a house
and would only be to glad if you bought the house and the lease that goes with it
 
It could be the mains water supply. There are cottages in Drogheda where the mains water pipework and manholes run through the back gardens.

These houses couldn't have water meters installed, as the installers required access to private property (so owners just said no).
 
We have a freehold property but there is a wayleave over it as the county council/Irish Water have access to a mains pipe and sewer that runs across the property
 
I’ve a manhole that conveys the sewer for my neighbours in my back garden and I’ve freehold. No wayleaves - the pipe is collectively mine and my neighbours issue as far as I know.
 
Markel said:
I’ve a manhole that conveys the sewer for my neighbours in my back garden and I’ve freehold. No wayleaves - the pipe is collectively mine and my neighbours issue as far as I know.
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Yeah, that's most likely it. Many local authority developments in Dublin have shared sewer lines running along the backs of the houses, these then run out to the front at some point and join the mains. These shared drains are jointly owned by the property owners and any issues that arise along them up to the point they join the main line are usually an issue for the owners to resolve among themselves.

My last house in Dublin had one of the inspection cover at the rear for my own drains, and another in the driveway at the front that was actually the point where the next row of houses came out to join the main line. I had no issues buying the freehold. There was no mention of utilities at all.
 
Yes you can. I think the relevant legislation for " building leases" is under the Landlord & Tenant ( Ground Rent)(No.2) Act, 1978 , but query if this applies to your situation.
 
MillerI said:
I am trying to buy a house that was built on Council owned land in 1971, subject to a lease of 15 Pounds/year for 150 years. There are 97 years of lease left on the house and I understand banks will not issue mortgages for properties with less than 75 years left on the lease.

Dun Laoghaire CoCo own the lease (transferred from Dublin City Council), and I intend to ask to buy it, if I proceed to buy the house. However, since there is a manhole in the back garden of the house, I was wondering if anyone knows whether local authorities can refuse to sell the lease on such houses. Alternatively, could DLR CoCo refuse to sell to me on any other grounds?

Thank you in advance!
Click to expand...
All a manhole is, is an access chamber to the sewer lines for cleaning, unblocking and upgrades. Shouldn't be an issue.
 
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