Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Bishop Auckland:

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Recently asked questions relating to Bishop Auckland leasehold conveyancing

I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Bishop Auckland. Before I set the wheels in motion I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.

If the lease is registered - and 99.9% 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.

Due to sign contracts shortly on a ground floor flat in Bishop Auckland. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they will have a report out to me on Monday. What should I be looking out for?

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

  • You should be sent a copy of the lease
  • You need to be told what counts as a Nuisance in the lease
  • Changes to the flat (alterations and additions)
  • I don't know whether the lease allows me to alter or improve anything in the flat - you should know whether it applies to all alterations or just structural alteration, and whether consent is required
  • Responsibility for repairing the window frames
  • What you can do if a neighbour breach a clause of their lease?
  • What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease? For details of the information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Bishop Auckland please enquire of your solicitor in ahead of your conveyancing in Bishop Auckland

    • I own a leasehold house in Bishop Auckland. Conveyancing and Santander mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing solicitor in Bishop Auckland who acted for me is not around.Do I pay?

    First contact HMLR to make sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to instruct a Bishop Auckland conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

    Last month I purchased a leasehold property in Bishop Auckland. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before my ownership?

    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).

    What are your top tips when it comes to choosing a Bishop Auckland conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

    When appointing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Bishop Auckland conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you talk with several firms including non Bishop Auckland conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be of use:

    • If they are not ALEP accredited then why not?
  • What are the costs for lease extension work?

    • Bishop Auckland Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should ask before buying

      Can you inform me if there are any major works anticipated that will likely increase the maintenance charges? For many Bishop Auckland leaseholds the cost for major works tend not to be wrapped into the service charges, although a few managing agents in Bishop Auckland require leaseholders to contribute towards a sinking fund created for the specific intention of establishing a fund for major repairs or maintenance. Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge payments?

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Bishop Auckland