Aspley Guise leasehold conveyancing: Q and A’s
Looking forward to complete next month on a studio apartment in Aspley Guise. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they are sending me a report within the next couple of days. What should I be looking out for?
Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Aspley Guise should include some of the following:
- Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord
I've found a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently been informed that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Aspley Guise. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?
Most houses in Aspley Guise are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Aspley Guise in which case you should be shopping around for a Aspley Guise conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your conveyancer should report to you on the legal implications.
I've recently bought a leasehold house in Aspley Guise. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?
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).
I am employed by a busy estate agency in Aspley Guise where we see a number of flat sales derailed as a result of short leases. I have received inconsistent advice from local Aspley Guise conveyancing firms. Please can you confirm whether the vendor 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 kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer 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 has to be done prior to, or at the same time as completion of the sale.
An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord 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 advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Aspley Guise conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?
When appointing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Aspley Guise conveyancing practice) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you speak with two or three firms including non Aspley Guise conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be useful:
- How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation?
I purchased a 1 bedroom flat in Aspley Guise, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Aspley Guise with an extended lease are worth £270,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced every year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2074
You have 54 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £30,400 and £35,200 plus legals.
The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.
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