WHILE our New Labour Government pays lip service to the abolition of the feudal system one of its acolyte councils, West Lothian, is milking the same system for all it is worth.
Solicitors have received notification that Labour-controlled West Lothian is imposing a charge of #150 to grant title superior's consent for any alterations or extensions which an owner-occupier who happens to live in a former council or development corporation house intends to carry out to his/her property. This charge also extends to alterations and extensions carried out in the past by previous owners of the property so sellers of these properties may well find they must also pay the #150.
This consent is in addition to any planning permission or building control consent. It is purely a product of the archaic feudal system and a Labour council's attempts to exploit it while its Government talks of reform.
Just as local authorities in the past abandoned warrant sales surely it is time for councils to publicly desist from needlessly increasing the cost to the consumer of improving or selling his/her home in advance of new legislation?
Private title superiors come in for criticism but very few charge anything like the Rachmanesque figure of #150 for a simple title superior's consent.
Graeme McCormick,
Conveyancing Direct,
8 Elliot Place, Glasgow.
May 13.
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