Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Biddenham:

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Top Five Questions relating to Biddenham leasehold conveyancing

I am hoping to complete next month on a leasehold property in Biddenham. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they are sending me a report tomorrow. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Biddenham should include some of the following:

  • Defining your rights in respect of common areas in the building.By way of example, does the lease grant a right of way over a path or hallways?
  • Does the lease require carpeting throughout thus preventing wood flooring?
  • You need to be told what counts as a Nuisance in the lease
  • Whether your lease has a provision for a reserve fund?
  • Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice?
  • The landlord’s obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building
  • What you can do if a neighbour is in violation of a provision in their lease? For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Biddenham please ask your solicitor in advance of your conveyancing in Biddenham

    • Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my garden apartment in Biddenham.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just received a half-yearly service charge demand – Do I pay up?

    Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should discharge the invoice as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

    Back In 2008, I bought a leasehold house in Biddenham. Conveyancing and The Mortgage Works mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1991. The conveyancing solicitor in Biddenham who previously acted has now retired.What should I do?

    First make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to incur the fees of a Biddenham conveyancing practitioner to do this as it can be done on-line for £3. You should note that regardless, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

    I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of flats in Biddenham both have about forty five years left on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

    A lease is a right to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease gets shorter the marketability of the lease decreases and it becomes more expensive to acquire a lease extension. This is why it is advisable to extend the lease term. More often than not it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage lenders may be unwilling to lend money on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We advise that you get professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this arena

    Last month I purchased a leasehold flat in Biddenham. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before my ownership?

    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. However, 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).

    Biddenham Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

      The majority of Biddenham leasehold properties will be liable to pay a service bill for maintenance of the block set on behalf of the management company. If you purchase the property you will have to meet this charge, usually in instalments accross the year. This could differ from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for bigger purpose-built blocks. In all probability there will be a rentcharge for you to pay annual, this is usually not a exorbitant figure, say about £50-£100 but you need to check as occasionally it could be many hundreds of pounds. What prohibitions exist in the Biddenham Lease? How much is the ground rent and service charge?

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Biddenham