I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have just been informed that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Berwick Upon Tweed. Conveyancing lawyers have are about to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Berwick Upon Tweed ?

Most houses in Berwick Upon Tweed are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are buying in Berwick Upon Tweed so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Berwick Upon Tweed conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the freeholder’spermission to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor will appraise you on the various issues.

Back In 2001, I bought a leasehold house in Berwick Upon Tweed. Conveyancing and Chelsea Building Society mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing practitioner in Berwick Upon Tweed who acted for me is not around.Any advice?

First make enquiries of HMLR to be sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. There is no need to instruct a Berwick Upon Tweed conveyancing firm 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 rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I am attracted to a couple of apartments in Berwick Upon Tweed both have about forty five years remaining on the leases. Do I need to be concerned?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold apartment in Berwick Upon Tweed is a deteriorating asset as a result of the shortening lease. The closer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it adversely affects the value of the premises. The majority of buyers and lenders, leases with under 75 years become less and less attractive. On a more upbeat note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the property for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of premises with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Berwick Upon Tweed conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease You may find he or she is happy to negotiate informally and willing to consider your offer straight off, without having to involve anyone else. This will save you time and money and it could help you reach a lower price on the lease. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to finding a Berwick Upon Tweed conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Berwick Upon Tweed conveyancing firm) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you speak with several firms including non Berwick Upon Tweed conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be helpful:

• What volume of lease extensions have they conducted in Berwick Upon Tweed in the last year?

What are the costs for lease extension work?

Completion in due on our sale of a £450000 flat in Berwick Upon Tweed next Thursday . The management company has quoted £384 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Berwick Upon Tweed?

Berwick Upon Tweed conveyancing on leasehold apartments typically involves administration charges invoiced by management companies :

• Answering pre-contract questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Berwick Upon Tweed
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Berwick Upon Tweed leasehold property is £350. For Berwick Upon Tweed 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 obliged to supply the information.

I own a 1 bedroom flat in Berwick Upon Tweed, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Similar properties in Berwick Upon Tweed with over 90 years remaining are worth £190,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced annually. The lease ends on 21st October 2076

With 51 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £30,400 and £35,200 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.

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Lease Extensions in Berwick Upon Tweed