Recently asked questions relating to Bletchley leasehold conveyancing
Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only 72 years left on my lease in Bletchley. I am keen to extend my lease but my landlord is can not be found. What are my options?
On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. You will be obliged to prove that you have used your best endeavours to locate the landlord. For most situations a specialist would be helpful to conduct investigations and to produce an expert document to be used as evidence that the landlord is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer both on investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing Bletchley.
I am hoping to complete next month on a garden flat in Bletchley. 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 Bletchley should include some of the following:
- Do you need to have carpet in the flat or are you allowed wood flooring?
I've found a house that appears to meet my requirements, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently found out that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Bletchley. Conveyancing solicitors have not yet been instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Bletchley ?
Most houses in Bletchley are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Bletchley in which case you should be looking for a Bletchley conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions 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 estate where the house is part of an estate. Your solicitor will appraise you on the various issues.
I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two maisonettes in Bletchley both have about forty five years remaining on the leases. Will this present a problem?
There are no two ways about it. A leasehold apartment in Bletchley is a wasting asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The nearer the lease gets to zero years unexpired, the more it adversely affects the value of the premises. For most buyers and lenders, leases with less than 75 years become less and less marketable. On a more upbeat note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the property for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a residence with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Bletchley conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.
What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Bletchley conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?
If you are instructing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Bletchley conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you speak with two or three firms including non Bletchley conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be useful:
- How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?
I am the registered owner of a leasehold flat in Bletchley, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Comparable flats in Bletchley with an extended lease are worth £230,000. The ground rent is £55 charged once a year. The lease expires on 21st October 2096
You have 75 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £10,500 and £12,000 as well as legals.
The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.
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