Here's a question. Is it more likely for apartment owners in the UK to succeed in buying their building freehold when (a) all or most of them are British-born or (b) they represent a mix of nationalities?
The answer is (b). The reasons behind this reveal some fascinating dynamics when leaseholders of flats decide to exercise their legal right to force the landlord to sell to them their apartment building.
Blocks of flats with a heterogenous mix of nationalities are often most likely to have empowered leaseholders that are keen to buy their freehold.
This is because leaseholders coming from other European countries, the Americas and many Asia-Pacific nations bring to the UK knowledge of the international model of apartment ownership. According to this model, when you buy an apartment, say, in Sydney or Rome or Boston, you own it entirely and forever, and you and your fellow apartment owners jointly own the building.
Australians call it the Strata System. The French call it "co-propriété". Americans call these apartments "condominiums" or "condo's". These represent the international model of apartment ownership.
When foreigners buy a flat in England or Wales, they discover, to their surprise, the exception to the rule. They learn that they have not really bought their flat, but only a time-limited contract, a lease. They also discover that, despite not fully owning their apartments, they and fellow leaseholders have to pay all repair and running costs of the building, which is owned by a landlord or freeholder.
It's no big surprise, therefore, that leaseholders pushing for a collective purchase of the freehold are often those coming from other countries. While many British-born leaseholders show a stiff upper lip and a dogged willingness to tolerate the anachronistic leasehold system -- which dates back to the Middle Ages -- foreigners see fewer reasons to accept the status quo.
Before the widespread use of email, trying to organise a block of flats with leaseholders living overseas was, in many cases, a non-starter. The logistical difficulties foiled many early attempts by UK apartment owners to buy their freehold.
But now, with email, mobile phones and other means of interconnectivity, it is entirely do-able to organise leaseholders, whether they live in the building, elsewhere in the UK, or in Buenos Aires, Johannesburg or Oman.
Indeed, having apartment owners from different national backgrounds helps to shape the global project management that is often required to buy one's building freehold, since many participants in far-flung locations are used to doing business on an international level.
Another bit of good news -- the internationist approach to the apartment ownership model is contagious.
A growing number of British-born leaseholders that have spent time living and working in other countries bring back to the UK an appreciation of the global apartment ownership model and a willingness to take the necessary steps to buy one's building freehold.
I and my husband have loved raising our children in a mansion block in central London. The rich mix of nationalities in our building represents for our family a kind of global village.
It's nice to know that this kind of social diversity not only enhances one's quality of life -- but also, on an organisational level, helps to ensure success when you're trying to buy your building freehold.
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