A DAD has been saddled with a flat he can’t sell after a solicitor wrongly told him his lease had been extended, it’s reported.
Chris Morrison says he’s facing a “nightmare battle” which could cost him thousands of pounds after learning there are just 47 years remaining on his lease.
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Mr Morrison, of Middlesbrough, bought his first flat in 2008 for £63,000.
He was only able to get a mortgage after the lease, which then had 61 years left, was extended to 900 years.
But the 43-year-old was left stunned after discovering the change hadn’t been made at all when he tried to sell the property earlier this year, Teesside Live reports.
He now faces a £12,500 fee to extend it himself.
Mr Morrison had already found a buyer for his flat, and was prepared to sell at a loss of £5,000 to ensure a quick sale.
However, the sale has now fallen through.
Mr Morrison said: “The lease on the flat had run down to 61 years and the bank, at the time, wouldn’t allow me to have a mortgage based on that period of time.
“Part of the process of the sale was to have the lease extended.
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“Now my buyer pulled out of the sale, I’m left with a property at the moment that I cannot sell.”
He said his solicitors have told him that £2,000 was paid by the seller when he bought the flat 14 years ago. It’s not known what the sum was earmarked for, but the lease wasn’t extended.
“It’s had a massive impact,” Mr Morrison said.
“It’s had a huge impact financially for my partner and I as we’re paying for a mortgage and full council tax.
“I’ve run up credit card bills in order to pay the council tax so there’s no court action taken.”
His partner has had to return to work full-time following the arrival of their baby daughter to make ends meet.
“People say moving house is the most stressful time of your life, but when you come across something like this, you’re just totally unprepared for it,” Mr Morrison said.
The solicitor firm has declined to comment while it investigates the matter.
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