I have just appointed agents to market my ground floor flat in Bartley Green.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a half-yearly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is clear the invoice 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 management companies 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to meet my requirements, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have just discovered that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Bartley Green. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Bartley Green ?

Most houses in Bartley Green are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Bartley Green in which case you should be looking for a Bartley Green conveyancing practitioner and check that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your conveyancer will report to you on the legal implications.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of maisonettes in Bartley Green both have about 50 years unexpired on the leases. 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 a lease gets shorter the value of the lease decreases and it becomes more expensive to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is advisable to extend the lease term. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage companies may be unwilling to lend money on such properties. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We advise that you get professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this area

I've recently bought a leasehold property in Bartley Green. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before my ownership?

In a situation 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. However, 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).

We expect to complete our sale of a £175000 garden flat in Bartley Green in six days. The management company has quoted £348 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Bartley Green?

Bartley Green conveyancing on leasehold flats usually involves the buyer’s solicitor submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address such questions most will be content to do so. They may charge a reasonable charge for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some situations it is in excess of £800. The administration charge required by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, without which the charge is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have no option but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to sell the property.

Bartley Green Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

Be sure to enquire if there is anything that is prohibited in the lease. For example plenty of leases prohibit pets being allowed in certain buildings in Bartley Green. If you like the flatin Bartley Green yet your cat is not allowed to live with you then you have a very difficult compromise. It would be prudent to discover as much as possible about the managing agents as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are often in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to every day matters such as the tidiness of the communal areas. Ask other tenants what they think of their service. On a final note, be sure you know the dates that the service charges are due to the relevant party and precisely what it includes. The majority of Bartley Green leasehold apartments will incur a service charge for maintenance of the building set by the freeholder. Should you buy the apartment you will have to meet this contribution, usually in instalments during 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 likelihood there will be a rentcharge for you to pay yearly, this is usually not a exorbitant sum, say about £50-£100 but you need to enquire it because sometimes it could be many hundreds of pounds.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Bartley Green