Absent Freeholder: Selling or Remortgaging
An absent freeholder can create problems when selling or remortgaging a leasehold flat. A buyer’s solicitor or mortgage lender may raise questions about ground rent, buildings insurance, repairs or obtaining consent under the lease.
These articles explore the difficulties owners can face, the role and limitations of indemnity insurance, and why mortgage lender requirements matter. If the problem existed when you bought, your original conveyancing file and the lender’s instructions at the time may help explain how the purchase proceeded and what advice you received.
Absent freeholder?
Find out what you were told when you bought
If the freeholder was already missing when you purchased, your original conveyancing file and your lender’s requirements at the time could show whether the issue should have been picked up and what advice you received.
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Missing Freeholder? Why Your Flat Sale Has Stalled and What to Check
The absence of a freeholder can halt leasehold property sales or remortgages due to the lack of necessary information, such as insurance evidence and lease agreements. The guide explains the implications of missing landlords, potential solutions, and emphasises the importance of understanding past legal requirements and documentation from the property purchase.
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Absentee Landlord Indemnity Insurance: Protection or Papering Over the Problem?
Absentee landlord indemnity insurance can address defined financial risks, but it cannot recreate a missing freeholder. We examine lender requirements, policy limitations and vesting orders.