大概有了买房的注意已经一个多月了，在坛子里学到了许多有用的东西。两周前开始了实质性的动作，一点经验也跟大家分享和讨论一下。

刚从中介回来，下午看了一个mansionette 改成的Flat. 俺跟俺媳妇都觉得还可以， 但是没有给任何offer，然后拿着那个leaflet就跟financial advisor说了一下。我的financial advisor跟这个房屋中介不是一家的，而且就在隔着几个门的另一家中介办公。正好，那个中介里的一个人也加入了我们的谈话，而且非常有经验（自己说干了20多年了）。他只是简单看了一下照片（室内室外的），马上就说，他已经看到这个房子大概在市场上有带给10几周了，以它的地理位置和asking price以及现在市场上对这种户型的房子的需求，应该马上就可以make a deal. 然后指着照片说，这是一个top floor flat，从外观看，房子没有问题，但是如果留意一下ground floor的部分，就会发现房间的窗户好像比较破，虽然楼上都是很好，但是这有可能藏有隐患。然后他让我去问讯一下房屋的 organisation of management. （这对我来说也是一个新词，因为坛子里从来没有人提过）。经过一番解释，才知道其实就是房屋的管理方式。好像在英国，许多房子是要委托给公司management的，所以他们会对房子定时的维修和管理，这笔费有有可能也会cover在building insurrance里。后来说到，知道management的原因。因为flat一般都是Leasehould or share of lease，所以如果房子需要翻修，就一定要得到所以人的同意，如翻修房顶，墙壁和窗户等，这些费用是应该大家均摊的，如果你楼下的人，没有任何insurrance，或者是根本就不出现，甚至失业只剩下房子的话，那将来的翻修费用，只得你一个人付了。顿时惊了一跳。。。。明天就去再详查。。。

不过这个也让我有了点疑问，因为是first time buyer，所以想请教大家一般是如何照看自己房子的？？？？？？？
光买保险（什么样的保险），还是让公司管的。。。

其实买房子真的能学到很多新的东西。就象你们LEASEHOLD的房子有你们的烦恼。我门SHARE OF FREEHLOD的也有烦恼，
也就象你说的，有公共的地方要维修什么的，如有一户不同意，也就是无法搞。本来以为是FREEHOLD的很好弄贷款，原来不是的，LENDER都对这中SHARE OF FREEHOLD的房子特别谨慎的。 楼上的这种Mansionette 改成的Flat是没有SERVICE CHARGE 的吧，，都是自己来维护的吧！其实这挺好的，每年省了一大比SERVICE CHARGE。。我门每年就要交1800镑这个费用。

为啥这种Mansionette 改成的Flat是没有SERVICE CHARGE 呢，我们也是leasehold，也是mansionette就有service charge？

请教一下，什么样的房子会是share of freehold？
俺在买的那个flat，中介打广告时号称share of freehold，他们给我的律师quotation时又写成了"lease"，迷惘ing。

Google到了，存下先。


Share of freehold: good or bad?

The simple answer is almost always good because it gives you some control over the management of your building and its expenses.
But what exactly does 'a share of the freehold' mean? Well, firstly, don't confuse a share of the freehold with a freehold flat. They are not the same. Freehold flats are rare and problematic if all the necessary agreements are not in place.
What's more, most lenders won't touch them and they should therefore be avoided.

So the title (i.e. ownership of your flat) should always be leasehold and, in addition, you might own a share of the freehold title to the whole building. This way, and your neighbours will together be the landlord or freeholder, with hopefully the same desire to look after the common parts of the building in and efficient, economical way for all residents.

There are two main ways in which shared ownership of the freehold can be set up. The first, where a house has been converted into, say, two flats, is for the two flat owners to buy the freehold in their personal names and then whenever either flat is sold, they both have to transfer the title to the continuing owner and the new owner. This works when everyone cooperates, but if one of the owners is difficult or disappears, or there are several flats in a block where the freehold in everyone's personal names, there will be problems.

So the preferable and more common method is for the freehold to be owned by a limited company in which each flat owner has a share. When a flat is sold, their share is transferred to the new flat owner, and a new share certificate is issued. There will be some initial costs, and annual accounts and returns will be necessary, but these will be well worth the investment in the long run.