In Scotland, the purchase of a 2nd property, irrespective of the reason attracts an additional Land Tax of 5% of the purchase price. You can apply for a refund if you sell one property within 3 years. Our upstairs neighbour ignored my warning in early May about his dripping shower leaking into our bedroom ceiling. When we got back from France in mid-July, the leak had spread, loosening plaster and producing heavy black mould spores [not good to breathe, especially after a heart attack, a mini-stroke, and 2 pulmonary embolisms].
It's estimated that the wall will take about 10 months to dry out properly, and then the replastering can start, so probably 12 months in total [assuming the total onanist actually gets the leak fixed ...]. We are going to purchase a small property, rather than risk a fatal dose of mould spores, but we will have to pay the tax AND take a mortgage on, because we will not be able to sell the flat until the repairs are finished. Still have to pay the Tax and the Interest, and I'm not allowed to shoot the worthless piece of excrement in the upstairs flat. Suing him will be a waste, he's a scaffy git with insufficient money to repair his rotting windows who took over 6 months to get the money together for his retrospective Planning Consent [another PITA]. I think I should be allowed to shoot him under a Pest Control Licence and claim a Government bounty upon production of the rotting cadaver ...
Steve