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When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Abercarn, you will need to chose a conveyancing solicitor with leasehold experience. Whether your mortgage company is to be Clydesdale , RBS or Nationwide be sure to choose a lawyer on their panel. Find a Abercarn conveyancing lawyer with our search tool

Recently asked questions relating to Abercarn leasehold conveyancing

Due to complete next month on a leasehold property in Abercarn. Conveyancing solicitors have said that they will have a report out to me within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Abercarn should include some of the following:

  • The total extent of the property. This will be the flat itself but may include a loft or basement if applicable.
  • Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat?
  • Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this will change in the future
  • An explanation as to the provision in the lease to pay service charges - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has
  • Repair and maintenance of the flat
  • I don't know whether the lease allows me to alter or improve anything in the flat - you should know whether it applies to all alterations or just structural alteration, and whether consent is required
  • What you can do if a neighbour is in violation of a provision in their lease? For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Abercarn please ask your conveyancer in ahead of your conveyancing in Abercarn

    • Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my garden flat in Abercarn.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just received a yearly maintenance charge demand – what should I do?

    It best that you discharge the invoice as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

    Last month I purchased a leasehold flat in Abercarn. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

    In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

    If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

    Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Abercarn from the perspective of expediting the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Abercarn can be avoided if you get in touch lawyers as soon as your agents start advertising the property and request that they start to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the purchasers’ representatives.
    • The majority freeholders or Management Companies in Abercarn charge for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the actual amount of the charges. The management pack can be applied for on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most frequent reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Abercarn.
  • Some Abercarn leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, you should place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their lawyers.
  • If you have had conflict with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved prior to the flat being marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be nervous about purchasing a flat where there is an ongoing dispute. You may need to swallow your pride and pay any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as historic rather than unresolved.
  • If you are supposed to have a share in the Management Company, you should make sure that you have the original share document. Arranging a new share certificate is often a lengthy process and frustrates many a Abercarn conveyancing transaction. Where a new share is necessary, do contact the company officers or managing agents (where applicable) for this sooner rather than later.

    • Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the sale of our £500000 flat in Abercarn in just under a week. The freeholder has quoted £396 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Abercarn?

    Abercarn conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes normally involves the buyer’s solicitor submitting questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to answer such questions the majority will be willing to assist. They may invoice a reasonable charge for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it exceeds £800. The administration charge levied by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of rights and obligations in respect of administration fees, without which the invoice is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that one has no choice but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

    Leasehold Conveyancing in Abercarn - Sample of Questions you should ask before buying

      Is anyone aware of any major works in the near future that will likely add a premium to the maintenance charges? How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their service charge payments? Many Abercarn leasehold flats will have a service charge for the upkeep of the block levied by the landlord. Where you acquire the flat you will have to meet this amount, normally periodically throughout the year. This can vary from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large common grounds. In all likelihood there will be a ground rent for you to pay annual, normally this is not a large sum, say approximately £25-£75 but you need to check it because sometimes it can be surprisingly expensive.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Abercarn