Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Beverley. Before I set the wheels in motion I would like to find out the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in Beverley - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars 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've found a house that appears to be perfect, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since found out that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a leasehold house in Beverley. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Beverley ?

The majority of houses in Beverley are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Beverley so you should seriously consider looking for a Beverley conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. First 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 comes with conditions such as obtaining the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your solicitor will advise you fully on all the issues.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of maisonettes in Beverley which have in the region of fifty years remaining on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold apartment in Beverley is a deteriorating asset as a result of the shortening lease. The nearer the lease gets to its expiry date, the more it adversely affects the value of the premises. For most buyers and mortgage companies, leases with under eighty years become less and less marketable. 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 premises 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 property 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 Beverley conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that the agreed 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.

All being well we will complete the disposal of our £400000 maisonette in Beverley next week. The managing agents has quoted £300 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Beverley?

Beverley conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes often requires the buyer’s solicitor sending questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer such questions the majority will be content to do so. They may charge 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 over three hundred pounds, in some situations it is above £800. The administration charge levied by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration fees, without which the charge is not strictly payable. In reality you have no option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to sell the property.

When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Beverley what are the most frequent lease problems?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Beverley. Most leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain provisions are not included. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

• Repairing obligations to or maintain elements of the building
• 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

You could have a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Santander, Skipton Building Society, and Barclays Direct all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to provide security, forcing the buyer to withdraw.

Beverley Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries Prior to buying

It would be prudent to discover as much as you can concerning the company managing the block as they can either make living at the property much simpler or a lot more difficult. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you will be at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day issues like the upkeep of the common parts. Don't be afraid to ask other tenants if they are happy with their service. Finally, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and precisely what you get for your money. Who manages the building? Does the lease have onerous restrictions?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Beverley