Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Bartley Green. Before diving in I want to be sure as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in Bartley Green - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details 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.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have since discovered that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Bartley Green. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

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 have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the freeholder’spermission to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your lawyer will advise you fully on all the issues.

Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Bartley Green from the point of view of expediting the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Bartley Green can be bypassed if you appoint lawyers as soon as your agents start marketing the property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ representatives.
• The majority landlords or managing agents in Bartley Green levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should find out the actual amount of the charges. The management pack can be applied for 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 common reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Bartley Green.

In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Bartley Green leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or installing wooden flooring require a licence issued by the Landlord acquiescing to such changes. If you fail to have the consents to hand do not contact the landlord without checking with your conveyancer in advance.

If you have the benefit of shareholding in the Management Company, you should ensure that you are holding the original share certificate. Obtaining a replacement share certificate is often a lengthy process and frustrates many a Bartley Green home move. If a new share certificate is needed, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (if applicable) for this sooner rather than later.

You believe that you know the number of years remaining on your lease but you should verify this via your conveyancers. A buyer’s conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the remaining number of years is less than 75 years. In the circumstances it is essential 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 property on the market for sale.

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on our sale of a £450000 maisonette in Bartley Green next week. The managing agents has quoted £300 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Bartley Green?

Bartley Green conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes usually necessitates administration charges levied by landlords agents :

• Addressing pre-exchange questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Bartley Green
• Copies of the building insurance and schedule
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your lawyer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Bartley Green leasehold property is £350. For Bartley Green conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to supply the information.

Are there common deficiencies that you encounter in leases for Bartley Green properties?

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

• Repairing obligations to or maintain elements of the premises
• Insurance obligations
• A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

A defective lease will likely cause problems when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. National Westminster Bank, Leeds Building Society, and Bank of Ireland all have express conveyancing instructions 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 purchaser to pull out.

I bought a 1 bedroom flat in Bartley Green, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Corresponding flats in Bartley Green with an extended lease are worth £215,000. The ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2087

With 63 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £14,300 and £16,400 as well as costs.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.

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Lease Extensions in Bartley Green