Introduction
The valuation of premium for buying the freehold or enfranchisement of houses is extremely specialised, as is the negotiation of the matters relating to the Leasehold Reform Act 1967.
A house can be many things – a house, a shop with flat, a pub with flat, offices with flat or even a block of flats.
Even though the legislation in its basic form has been around since 1967 there are still significant cases relating to what constitutes a house.
The basis definition is contained in Section 2(1) of the Leasehold Reform Act 1967:
“For purposes of this Part of the Act, ‘house’ includes any building designed or adapted for living in reasonably so called, not withstanding that the building is not structurally detached, or was not or is not solely designed or adapted for living in, or is divided horizontally into flats or maisonettes; …”
Recent cases on what constitutes a house include Malekshad v Howard de Walden Ltd and Boss Holdings Ltd v Grosvenor Wes End Properties Ltd.