Quality lawyers for Leasehold Conveyancing in Bakewell

Get a Quote

When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Bakewell, you will need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor with leasehold experience. Whether your lender is to be Halifax, Yorkshire Building Society or Nationwide be sure to find a lawyer on their approved list. Feel free to use our search tool

Recently asked questions relating to Bakewell leasehold conveyancing

Due to sign contracts shortly on a basement flat in Bakewell. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they will have a report out to me within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

  • Are pets allowed in the flat?
  • Whether the lease restricts you from subletting the property, or having a home office for business
  • Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this will change in the future
  • 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.
  • Responsibility for repairing the window frames
  • What options are open to you if a neighbour is in violation of a provision in their lease? For details of the information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Bakewell please ask your lawyer in advance of your conveyancing in Bakewell

    • My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Bakewell. Conveyancing and Halifax mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing practitioner in Bakewell who previously acted has long since retired.What should I do?

    The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to be sure that this person is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to incur the fees of a Bakewell conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. You should note that in any event, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

    I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of maisonettes in Bakewell which have approximately fifty years remaining on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

    There are plenty of short leases in Bakewell. The lease is a right to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As the lease shortens the saleability of the lease deteriorate and it becomes more expensive to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is generally wise to extend the lease term. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a protracted process. We advise that you get professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area

    Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Bakewell from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Bakewell can be bypassed if you get in touch lawyers the minute you market your property and ask them to put together the leasehold information needed by the purchasers’ conveyancers.
    • The majority freeholders or managing agents in Bakewell levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the actual amount of the charges. The management pack sought on or before finding 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 reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Bakewell.
  • If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s approval? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Bakewell leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or laying down wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord consenting to such works. Should you dont have the consents in place you should not contact the landlord without contacting your solicitor first.
  • If you have had any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is very important that these are settled prior to the flat being put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where a dispute is ongoing. You may need to swallow your pride and discharge any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to present the dispute as historic rather than unresolved.
  • If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should ensure that you hold the original share certificate. Arranging a replacement share certificate is often a lengthy process and slows down many a Bakewell home move. If a duplicate share is necessary, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (if applicable) for this as soon as possible.

    • Completion in due on the sale of our £400000 apartment in Bakewell in six days. The managing agents has quoted £312 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Bakewell?

    Bakewell conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes usually requires the buyer’s solicitor submitting enquiries for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to respond to these enquiries the majority will be willing to do so. They are entitled charge a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some transactions it exceeds £800. The management information fee invoiced by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration charges, without which the charge is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that one has no option but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

    Bakewell Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries Prior to Purchasing

      In the main the cost for major works tend not to be included within service charges, albeit that a few managing agents in Bakewell require leaseholders to contribute towards a sinking fund and this is used to offset against major repairs or maintenance. It is important to be aware whether redecorating or some other significant cost is anticipated to be shared by the tenants and may well materially increase the the maintenance charges or necessitate a one off invoice. How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their service charge payments?

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Bakewell