Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Ampthill:

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Top Five Questions relating to Ampthill leasehold conveyancing

I am intending to let out my leasehold flat in Ampthill. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for their consent?

A small minority of properties in Ampthill do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord is not entitled to unreasonably withhold but, in such cases, they would need to see references. Experience dictates that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting permission.

I am hoping to sign contracts shortly on a ground floor flat in Ampthill. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they are sending me a report tomorrow. What should I be looking out for?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Ampthill should include some of the following:

  • You should receive a copy of the lease
  • Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, freeholder
  • Are pets allowed in the flat?
  • You need to be told what constitutes a Nuisance in the lease
  • Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this is subject to change
  • The landlord’s obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building
  • What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease? For details of the information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Ampthill please ask your lawyer in advance of your conveyancing in Ampthill

    • I have just started marketing my garden flat in Ampthill.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a yearly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

    It best that you pay the service charge 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 property in Ampthill. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

    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. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part 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 offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Ampthill conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

    When appointing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Ampthill conveyancing practice) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you speak with several firms including non Ampthill conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be of use:

    • How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?
  • What volume of lease extensions have they completed in Ampthill in the last 12 months?

    • Ampthill Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries Prior to Purchasing

      The prefered form of lease structure is where the freehold interest is in the ownership of the leaseholders. In this scenario the tenants benefit from being in charge if their destiny and even though a managing agent is usually retained if it is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent retained by the leaseholders. The majority of Ampthill leasehold apartments will be liable to pay a service bill for maintenance of the building invoiced on behalf of the management company. Should you buy the apartment you will have to pay this charge, usually quarterly throughout the year. This may differ from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built buildings. In all probability there will be a ground rent to be met annual, normally this is not a significant sum, say about £50-£100 but you need to check as sometimes it could be surprisingly expensive. Does the lease include onerous restrictions?

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Ampthill