Recently asked questions relating to Aspley Guise leasehold conveyancing
I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Aspley Guise. Before I set the wheels in motion I would like to find out the number of years remaining on the lease.
If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and almost all are in Aspley Guise - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title.For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.
I only have Seventy years unexpired on my flat in Aspley Guise. I am keen to extend my lease but my landlord is can not be found. What are my options?
On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be lengthened by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you have done all that could be expected to find the landlord. For most situations an enquiry agent may be helpful to carry out a search and prepare an expert document to be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a conveyancer both on investigating the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court covering Aspley Guise.
I've found a house that seems to be perfect, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have since found out that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Aspley Guise. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Aspley Guise ?
Most houses in Aspley Guise are freehold rather than 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 buying in Aspley Guise in which case you should be shopping around for a Aspley Guise conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to 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 at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the freeholder’sconsent to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your conveyancer will advise you fully on all the issues.
My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Aspley Guise. Conveyancing and Barclays mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1996. The conveyancing practitioner in Aspley Guise who acted for me is not around.What should I do?
First make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. There is no need to instruct a Aspley Guise conveyancing practitioner to do this as it can be done on-line for £3. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.
I've recently bought a leasehold property in Aspley Guise. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before 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. 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).
I bought a 1st floor flat in Aspley Guise, conveyancing having been completed in 2008. How much will my lease extension cost? Equivalent properties in Aspley Guise with an extended lease are worth £247,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £60 yearly. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2076
With just 53 years unexpired the likely cost is going to be between £32,300 and £37,400 as well as legals.
The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.
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