I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Babbacombe. Before diving in I would like to find out the number of years remaining on the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and most are in Babbacombe - 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.

Looking forward to complete next month on a ground floor flat in Babbacombe. Conveyancing solicitors have said that they will have a report out to me within the next couple of days. What should I be looking out for?

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

• Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, freeholder
• Defining your rights in respect of common areas in the building.By way of example, does the lease permit a right of way over a path or hallways?
• Do you need to have carpet in the flat or are you allowed wood flooring?
• You must be told what constitutes a Nuisance in the lease
• Whether your lease has a provision for a sinking fund?
• Responsibility for repairing the window frames
• What you can do if a neighbour breach a clause of their lease?

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of flats in Babbacombe which have in the region of 50 years remaining on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

There are plenty of short leases in Babbacombe. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a period of time. As the lease gets shorter the value of the lease reduces and results in it becoming more costly to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. It is often difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease because mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We advise that you seek professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field

I've recently bought a leasehold property in Babbacombe. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before my ownership?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner 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 be sure 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 Babbacombe from the point of view of saving time on the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Babbacombe can be reduced where you appoint lawyers the minute you market your property and ask them to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers solicitors.
• The majority freeholders or Management Companies in Babbacombe charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should find out the fee that they propose to charge. The management information sought as soon as you have a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Babbacombe.
• If you have had any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is very important that these are resolved prior to the flat being marketed. The buyers and their solicitors will be warry about purchasing a property where there is a current dispute. You may have to bite the bullet and pay any arrears of service charge or settle 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 clearly preferable to present the dispute as over as opposed to unresolved.
• If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should make sure that you have the original share document. Arranging a new share certificate can be a lengthy process and slows down many a Babbacombe home move. Where a duplicate share is necessary, do contact the company officers or managing agents (if relevant) for this at the earliest opportunity.
• You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but it would be advisable double-check by asking your lawyers. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to where the remaining number of years is under 75 years. In the circumstances it is important at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale.

Babbacombe Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries Prior to buying

Are there any major works anticipated that will likely increase the service fees?