I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Blakeney. Before diving in I would like to find out the number of years remaining on the lease.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and almost all are in Blakeney - 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.

I’m about to sell my basement flat in Blakeney.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just received a quarterly service charge invoice – what should I do?

It best that you 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 management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently found out that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Blakeney. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Blakeney ?

Most houses in Blakeney are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Blakeney in which case you should be looking for a Blakeney conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the freeholder’spermission to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your solicitor will advise you fully on all the issues.

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Blakeney from the point of view of expediting the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Blakeney can be avoided if you get in touch lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers representatives.
• The majority freeholders or managing agents in Blakeney charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. 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 receive management information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Blakeney.
• If you have carried out any alterations to the premises would they have required Landlord’s consent? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Blakeney state that internal structural changes or addition of wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord approving such changes. Should you fail to have the consents to hand do not communicate with the landlord without contacting your lawyer in advance.
• If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should make sure that you have the original share certificate. Arranging a replacement share certificate is often a lengthy formality and frustrates many a Blakeney conveyancing transaction. Where a duplicate share is needed, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (where relevant) for this sooner rather than later.
• You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to verify this by asking your conveyancers. A purchaser's conveyancer will not be happy to advise their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the lease term is below 80 years. It is therefore essential at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease term for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale.

When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Blakeney what are the most frequent lease defects?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Blakeney. Most leases are unique and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain provisions are wrong. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the property
• Insurance obligations
• Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

A defective lease will likely cause problems when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Nationwide Building Society, Norwich and Peterborough Building Society, and Clydesdale all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to provide security, obliging the buyer to withdraw.

I am the registered owner of a leasehold flat in Blakeney, conveyancing formalities finalised 4 years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in Blakeney with a long lease are worth £210,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 levied per year. The lease ends on 21st October 2078

You have 52 years unexpired the likely cost is going to range between £34,200 and £39,600 as well as legals.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.