The Frost Partnership - Flackwell Heath

I viewed a property that was advertised as a 5-bedroom HMO investment with a housing association lease. During my due diligence, I specifically asked about the HMO licence. Initially, I was told I would need to apply for a new licence because licences are not transferable. Later, I was told there was actually no HMO licence at all and that one was not required because of the housing association arrangement. What concerned me even more was that shortly after I questioned the HMO status, the online listing was revised. The original description referring to the property as an HMO disappeared and Zoopla showed it had “Just Added” the revised listing. This significantly reduced my confidence in the accuracy of the marketing. During the viewing, I also noticed what appeared to be a makeshift ground-floor bedroom created using a temporary partition, which raised further questions about whether the property was genuinely configured as a proper five-bedroom house. When I asked about visible cracking and signs of previous water ingress that I observed during the viewing, my questions were not properly addressed. Instead, I was told that the asking price was fixed and that I needed to submit ID, proof of funds and complete the offer paperwork before progressing further. As a buyer looking to invest nearly £200,000, I believe it is entirely reasonable to seek clear answers to important legal and structural questions before committing or providing sensitive financial documents. It was a complete waste of my time and fuel driving all the way from London to view this place. My advice to anyone considering buying through this agent is to carry out thorough independent due diligence, verify every aspect of the property with the local council and your solicitor, and do not rely solely on verbal assurances.