Freehold Flats and Maisonettes in England, Wales and Northern Ireland
In general we will not accept freehold flats or maisonettes.
Where each flat in a block has its own separate freehold title, these are unacceptable securities for us.
However, the majority of cases initially described as a 'freehold flat' usually fall into the following category: There is no lease on the flat to be occupied and the occupier of the flat will be the freeholder of the whole block.
Acceptable
- providing there are no more than four flats in total and the remaining flats are all subject to long leases, the flat without the lease is a suitable freehold security
Unacceptable
- if there are five or more flats in the building, the application must be treated as a commercial proposition
- if the remaining flats are let on shorthold tenancies, the application must be regarded as a commercial proposition
Additionally, coach house flats will be acceptable. A coach house flat is a freehold flat which is the only flat in the block and is built above garages and/or an access way.
