I am joint freeholder with the owner of the ground floor flat, I own and rent out the first floor flat. There are no communal areas and each flat has its own ground floor entrance. He hasn’t contributed towards any maintenance of the building for several years, I have painted my windows, doors etc but his windows are beyond repair (when getting quotes the decorator said he is surprised how the windows are still in they are so rotten) and his door was recently kicked in and is now held together with plastic and cable ties. To make things worse I have had to issue a warrant via the county court for non-payment of insurance, again this is the 3rd year in a row that I’ve had to take him to court for payment. From his behaviour and comments from the last tenant I think he has both mental health and financial issues. There is damp coming through to the stairs of my flat, from what is his bathroom and my tenant is now complaining about it – what if anything can I do, I hate having to play the baddie but a) I need the insurance money and b) I need to ensure that my property is not damaged. Any ideas???
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You need legal advice on how to compel him to sort it out. Speak to a solicitor.
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As David122 says. Joint freeholder situation sounds like a nightmare in the making. If he continues to be difficult in paying for necessary maintenance to the structure/fixtures, insurance and any other joint costs, I’d consider seeking a charge over his property. Threatening bankruptcy may cause him to reconsider in the short term but could go either way longer term. You really don’t want to be in a situation where you have to instruct solicitors every time unless you are sure to be able to recover all of your costs.
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