I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Bishop Auckland. Before I set the wheels in motion I would like to find out the number of years remaining on the lease.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Bishop Auckland - 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.

There are only Sixty One years left on my flat in Bishop Auckland. I am keen to extend my lease but my freeholder is missing. What options are available to me?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have made all reasonable attempts to locate the lessor. On the whole an enquiry agent would be useful to carry out a search and to produce an expert document which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor both on devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court covering Bishop Auckland.

Due to sign contracts shortly on a studio apartment in Bishop Auckland. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they report fully within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Bishop Auckland should include some of the following:

• Setting out your rights in respect of the communal areas in the block.By way of example, does the lease provide for a right of way over an accessway or staircase?

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

In a situation 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 ensure 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).

We expect to complete the disposal of our £275000 apartment in Bishop Auckland on Tuesday in a week. The managing agents has quoted £408 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Bishop Auckland?

Bishop Auckland conveyancing on leasehold flats normally requires the buyer’s solicitor submitting questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to respond to such questions the majority will be willing to assist. They are at liberty invoice a reasonable charge for answering 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 transactions it is in excess of £800. The management information fee required by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration fees, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that one has little option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

Bishop Auckland Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

The best form of lease arrangement is a share of the freehold. In this arrangement the tenants benefit from control and even though a managing agent is frequently retained where it is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants. How much is the ground rent and service charge? It would be prudent to discover if there is anything that is prohibited in the lease. For instance it is fairly common in Bishop Auckland leases that pets are not permitted in certain buildings in Bishop Auckland. If you love the flatin Bishop Auckland yet your cat is not allowed to move with you then you will be faced difficult determination.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Bishop Auckland