Guaranteed fixed fees for Leasehold Conveyancing in Arnside

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While any conveyancing practice can theoretically handle your leasehold conveyancing in Arnside, your mortgage provider may not be willing to work with them if the firm are not on their list of approved solicitors for conveyancing

Recently asked questions relating to Arnside leasehold conveyancing

Looking forward to exchange soon on a studio apartment in Arnside. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they report fully next week. What should I be looking out for?

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

  • The physical extent of the property. This will be the flat itself but might incorporate a loft or cellar if appropriate.
  • Setting out your rights in respect of common areas in the block.For example, does the lease include a right of way over a path or hallways?
  • Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this is subject to change
  • Repair and maintenance of the flat
  • Changes to the flat (alterations and additions)
  • 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
  • The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide. For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Arnside please ask your solicitor in ahead of your conveyancing in Arnside

    • I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to be perfect, at a reasonable price which is making it all the more appealing. I have since discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Arnside. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Arnside ?

    Most houses in Arnside are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Arnside in which case you should be shopping around for a Arnside conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the landlord’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the property is part of an estate. Your solicitor should advise you fully on all the issues.

    Last month I purchased a leasehold property in Arnside. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before 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. 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).

    I am employed by a long established estate agent office in Arnside where we have experienced a few flat sales derailed due to short leases. I have been given conflicting advice from local Arnside conveyancing firms. Can you clarify whether the owner of a flat can commence the lease extension formalities for the buyer?

    As long as the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser need not have to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed prior to, or simultaneously with completion of the disposal of the property.

    An alternative approach is to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

    What are your top tips when it comes to finding a Arnside conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

    If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Arnside conveyancing practice) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Arnside conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be useful:

    • How familiar is the firm with lease extension legislation?
  • How many lease extensions have they completed in Arnside in the last 12 months?

    • Arnside Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries before buying

      How much is the service charge and ground rent on the flat? Who are the managing agents? The best form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this arrangement the tenants have being in charge if their destiny and notwithstanding that a managing agent is usually retained if it is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent employed by the leaseholders.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Arnside