I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Blandford Forum. Before I set the wheels in motion I require certainty as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and almost all are in Blandford Forum - 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 wish to sublet my leasehold apartment in Blandford Forum. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for permission?

Notwithstanding that your last Blandford Forum conveyancing lawyer is no longer around you can review your lease to check if it allows you to sublet the property. The accepted inference is that if the deeds are silent, subletting is allowed. There may be a precondition that you need to seek consent via your landlord or other appropriate person in advance of subletting. This means you not allowed to sublet without prior consent. Such consent must not not be unreasonably turned down. If the lease prohibits you from subletting the property you should ask your landlord if they are willing to waive this restriction.

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my garden apartment in Blandford Forum.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a quarterly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is pay the service charge 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. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have just been informed that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Blandford Forum. Conveyancing advisers have not yet been appointed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Blandford Forum are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Blandford Forum in which case you should be shopping around for a Blandford Forum conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the landlord’spermission to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your conveyancer will report to you on the legal implications.

Back In 2008, I bought a leasehold flat in Blandford Forum. Conveyancing and National Westminster Bank mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1998. The conveyancing practitioner in Blandford Forum who previously acted has now retired.Any advice?

The first thing you should do is contact the Land Registry to be sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. You do not need to incur the fees of a Blandford Forum conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

Blandford Forum Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Queries Prior to Purchasing

Its a good idea to find out as much as you can about the company managing the building as they will either make your life much simpler or a lot more difficult. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to day to day issues such as the tidiness of the communal areas. You should not be shy to ask other people if they are happy with their service. Finally, be sure you discover the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the relevant party and precisely what it includes. Does the lease contain onerous restrictions? Make sure you find out if the the lease contains any unreasonable restrictions in the lease. For example plenty of leases prohibit pets being allowed in in a block in Blandford Forum. If you like the propertyin Blandford Forum however your cat is not allowed to move with you then you will be presented with a difficult compromise.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Blandford Forum