Hundreds of Sheffield homeowners are dealing with what they describe as threatening letters after a London solicitor purchased the freehold to their properties at auction.
Andrew Milne acquired the ownership rights to nearly 300 homes, paying around £320 per property in a total investment of under £100,000. He then contacted residents, alleging they had violated lease terms by making unauthorised modifications to their homes.
In leasehold arrangements, residents own their property for a set timeframe but not the land beneath it. The freeholder owns that land and can impose fees and limits to alterations, and enforce lease conditions. Violating the terms of the leasehold can lead to legal consequences, including lease cancellation.
Sheffield has an especially high concentration of leasehold properties — 44% of homes sold last year, compared to just 6% nationally. This stems from the city’s industrial heritage, when worker housing was built on land owned by estates, churches, and large employers.
Resident, Chaunsey Marshall, received a letter offering the opportunity to purchase her freehold for £5,000 plus fees, with a strict two-week deadline. She found the tone intimidating, describing it as aggressive scaremongering with inflated prices and an unrealistic timeline.
Those who didn’t immediately accept the offer faced accusations of lease violations for a variety of common home improvements, such as loft conversions or extensions. The letters warned that failure to comply would result in increased costs — potentially reaching £25,000 — and possible High Court action.
One homeowner said they had paid £25,000 to resolve the matter while selling her house. Despite a loft conversion completed in 2022, she felt cornered by legal threats from someone with professional credentials. The experience left her sleepless and distressed until she discovered through social media that numerous neighbours faced identical situations.
Some letters carried headlines like “Demolition Notice,” demanding the removal of unauthorised changes or threats of court proceedings. Draft legal claims listed homeowners as defendants, citing satellite imagery as proof of violations.
Residents reported seeing properties being photographed, apparently in an attempt to find evidence of extensions or modifications. Mrs Marshall was able to provide documentation that proved the renovations to her property occurred before she had purchased her home, contradicting the breach allegations.
Community meetings have brought together affected residents across Sheffield. Mr Milne has not responded to media enquiries, although his law firm previously denied all allegations of wrongdoing.
Recent legislation ended leasehold for new houses but not apartments. The government has expressed its intention to eliminate leaseholds entirely through the lesser-used “commonhold” system, though it acknowledges that there are implementation challenges with regard to existing multi-owner properties.