Leasehold Conveyancing in Bexhill - Get a Quote from the leasehold experts approved by your lender

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Leasehold conveyancing in Bexhill is more complex than freehold. Your home move will be smoother where you choose a lawyer with a wealth of experience of leasehold conveyancing in Bexhill and throughout next step up in loc. The lawyers we recommend have been approved by your lender so use our search tool to check.

Bexhill leasehold conveyancing Example Support Desk Enquiries

I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Bexhill. Before I get started I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and most are in Bexhill - 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 am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of apartments in Bexhill which have about fifty years left on the leases. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There are no two ways about it. A leasehold flat in Bexhill is a wasting asset as a result of the shortening lease. The nearer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it adversely affects the salability of the premises. For most purchasers and lenders, leases with less than eighty years become less and less attractive. On a more positive 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 a residence 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 Bexhill 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 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 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.

I've recently bought a leasehold flat in Bexhill. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

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. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element 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).

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Bexhill from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?

  • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Bexhill can be reduced where you get in touch lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers representatives.
  • The majority freeholders or managing agents in Bexhill charge for providing management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should find out the actual amount of the charges. The management pack sought on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Bexhill.
  • In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Bexhill leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or laying down wooden flooring require a licence issued by the Landlord acquiescing to such works. Where you fail to have the paperwork in place you should not communicate with the landlord without checking with your lawyer in advance.
  • A minority of Bexhill leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their solicitors.
  • If you have the benefit of shareholding in the Management Company, you should ensure that you are holding the original share document. Organising a duplicate share certificate is often a time consuming process and delays many a Bexhill home move. Where a duplicate share is necessary, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (if applicable) for this at the earliest opportunity.

    • Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on our sale of a £225000 apartment in Bexhill next week. The management company has quoted £420 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Bexhill?

    Bexhill conveyancing on leasehold flats normally requires the buyer’s conveyancer sending questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address such questions most will be willing to assist. They are entitled invoice a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it exceeds £800. The management information fee invoiced by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration charges, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have little choice but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to sell the property.

    Leasehold Conveyancing in Bexhill - A selection of Queries before Purchasing

      Make sure you enquire if the the lease contains any unreasonable restrictions in the lease. For instance some leases prohibit pets being allowed in certain buildings in Bexhill. If you like the apartmentin Bexhill but your dog can’t move with you then you will be presented with a hard compromise. Does the lease have in excess of 90 years remaining? How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments?

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Bexhill