Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Bartley Green:

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Frequently asked questions relating to Bartley Green leasehold conveyancing

I have just started marketing my basement apartment in Bartley Green.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just had a yearly service charge demand – Do I pay up?

It best that you pay the service charge as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to meet my requirements, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since been informed 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 Bartley Green. Conveyancing advisers have not yet been appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Bartley Green ?

The majority of houses in Bartley Green are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Bartley Green so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Bartley Green conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the freeholder’spermission to carry out alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your lawyer should advise you fully on all the issues.

I am looking at a couple of maisonettes in Bartley Green which have approximately 50 years remaining on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

A lease is a right to use the property for a period of time. As the lease shortens the marketability of the lease reduces and results in it becoming more expensive to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is advisable to extend the lease term. It is often difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We advise that you seek professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this field

What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Bartley Green conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Bartley Green conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you talk with several firms including non Bartley Green 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 many lease extensions have they completed in Bartley Green in the last twenty four months?
  • Can they put you in touch with client in Bartley Green who can give a testimonial?

    • Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Bartley Green with the aim of expediting the sale process?

    • Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Bartley Green can be avoided if you appoint lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold information needed by the purchasers’ conveyancers.
    • If you have carried out any alterations to the property would they have required Landlord’s approval? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Bartley Green leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or laying down wooden flooring calls for a licence issued by the Landlord consenting to such works. Should you dont have the approvals in place do not contact the landlord without checking with your solicitor in the first instance.
  • A minority of Bartley Green leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is financially capable of paying the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their lawyers.
  • If you have had any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are settled before the property is marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be concerned about purchasing a property where a dispute is ongoing. You may have to bite the bullet and discharge any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as over as opposed to unsettled.
  • You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to verify this via your solicitors. A purchaser's conveyancer will not be happy to advise their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the remaining number of years is under 80 years. In the circumstances it is important at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease term for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale.

    • Bartley Green Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries before buying

      The answer will be important as a) areas can result in problems in the block as the common areas may begin to deteriorate if repairs remain unpaid b) if the leaseholders have an issue with the managing agents you will need to know about it Plenty Bartley Green leasehold apartments will have a service bill for maintenance of the building set by the landlord. Should you purchase the property you will have to meet this contribution, usually in instalments throughout the year. This may vary from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large communal grounds. In all probability there will be a ground rent to be met annual, normally this is not a significant amount, say approximately £50-£100 but you need to enquire as occasionally it could be many hundreds of pounds. It is important to be aware whether window replacement or some other major work is anticipated that will be shared amongst the tenants and will dramatically impact the level of the maintenance fees or necessitate a specific payment.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Bartley Green