Guaranteed fixed fees for Leasehold Conveyancing in Birkenhead

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Leasehold conveyancing in Birkenhead 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 Birkenhead and throughout next step up in loc. The lawyers we recommend have been approved by your lender so use our search tool to check.

Frequently asked questions relating to Birkenhead leasehold conveyancing

Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Birkenhead. Before I get started I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and almost all are in Birkenhead - 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 hoping to sign contracts shortly on a studio apartment in Birkenhead. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they are sending me a report on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

  • You should receive a copy of the lease
  • The total extent of the premises. This will be the flat itself but could also include a loft or cellar if applicable.
  • Do you need to have carpet in the flat or are you allowed wood flooring?
  • An explanation as to the provision in the lease to pay service charges - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has
  • Whether your lease has a provision for a sinking fund?
  • The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide.
  • Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice? For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Birkenhead please enquire of your conveyancer in ahead of your conveyancing in Birkenhead

    • Back In 2009, I bought a leasehold flat in Birkenhead. Conveyancing and Santander 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 1992. The conveyancing practitioner in Birkenhead who previously acted has now retired.Any advice?

    The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to make sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is indeed the new freeholder. It is not necessary to instruct a Birkenhead conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

    What are your top tips when it comes to choosing a Birkenhead conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

    If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Birkenhead conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggested that you talk with several firms including non Birkenhead conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be useful:

    • How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?
  • Can they put you in touch with client in Birkenhead who can give a testimonial?

    • Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Birkenhead with the purpose of saving time on the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Birkenhead can be reduced if you appoint lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers solicitors.
    • Many freeholders or managing agents in Birkenhead levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold homes. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the fee that they propose to charge. The management information can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most usual cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Birkenhead.
  • Some Birkenhead leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this is the case, you should place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain bank and professional references. The bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are able to meet the yearly 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 there is a history of conflict with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved prior to the flat being put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where a dispute is unsettled. You will have to accept that you will have to discharge any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal particulars of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as over rather than ongoing.
  • If you have the benefit of shareholding in the Management Company, you should ensure that you have the original share document. Organising a replacement share certificate is often a time consuming formality and frustrates many a Birkenhead home move. If a reissued share is necessary, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (if applicable) for this sooner rather than later.

    • I purchased a ground floor flat in Birkenhead, conveyancing having been completed 9 years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Birkenhead with over 90 years remaining are worth £236,000. The ground rent is £60 yearly. The lease finishes on 21st October 2079

    With 58 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to span between £23,800 and £27,400 as well as costs.

    The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Birkenhead