I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently found out that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Bartley Green. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Bartley Green ?

The majority of houses in Bartley Green are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Bartley Green so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Bartley Green conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the landlord’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your lawyer will report to you on the legal implications.

Back In 2002, I bought a leasehold flat in Bartley Green. Conveyancing and The Royal Bank of Scotland mortgage went though with no issue. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1998. The conveyancing practitioner in Bartley Green who acted for me is not around.What should I do?

The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to be sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to incur the fees of a Bartley Green conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. Rest assured 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.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to choosing a Bartley Green conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Bartley Green conveyancing practice) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you speak with two or three firms including non Bartley Green conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be useful:

• If they are not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?

Completion in due on the disposal of our £175000 apartment in Bartley Green on Thursday in a week. The landlords agents has quoted £408 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Bartley Green?

Bartley Green conveyancing on leasehold apartments usually necessitates the buyer’s lawyer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so. They may levy a reasonable charge for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some situations it is above £800. The management information fee levied by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, without which the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality one has little option but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to exchange contracts with the buyer.

Are there common defects that you see in leases for Bartley Green properties?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Bartley Green. Most leases is drafted differently and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain clauses are missing. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the premises
• A duty to insure the building
• Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

A defective lease can cause issues when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Barclays , Leeds Building Society, and Britannia all have very detailed requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is problematic they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the buyer to pull out.

Bartley Green Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries before Purchasing

The majority of Bartley Green leasehold flats will incur a service bill for the upkeep of the block set by the freeholder. Should you purchase the apartment you will have to pay this contribution, normally in instalments during the year. This may differ from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for bigger purpose-built buildings. There will also be a ground rent for you to pay annual, this is usually not a large sum, say approximately £50-£100 but you should to enquire it because occasionally it could be many hundreds of pounds. What prohibitions exist in the Bartley Green Lease? It would be wise to find out as much as you can about the company managing the block as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you are often at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to every day matters like the cleanliness of the communal areas. Ask other people whether they are happy with their service. In conclusion, be sure you discover the dates that the maintenance fees are due to the appropriate party and precisely what you get for your money.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Bartley Green