Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Bognor Regis:

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When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Bognor Regis, you will need to appoint a conveyancing practitioner with leasehold experience. Whether your lender is to be Santander, Yorkshire Building Society or Nationwide make sure you find a lawyer on their panel. Find a Bognor Regis conveyancing lawyer with our search tool

Questions and Answers: Bognor Regis leasehold conveyancing

I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Bognor Regis. 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 most are in Bognor Regis - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details 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 Bognor Regis. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they report fully within the next couple of days. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Bognor Regis should include some of the following:

  • The total extent of the property. This will be the flat itself but might incorporate a roof space or basement if applicable.
  • Do you need to have carpet in the flat or are you allowed wood flooring?
  • Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat?
  • Whether the lease restricts you from subletting the flat, or working from home
  • You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
  • Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice?
  • The landlord’s obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building For details of the information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Bognor Regis please enquire of your lawyer in ahead of your conveyancing in Bognor Regis

    • I have just started marketing my garden apartment in Bognor Regis.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just received a yearly service charge demand – what should I do?

    The sensible thing to do is 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 unless 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.

    Last month I purchased a leasehold property in Bognor Regis. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before my ownership?

    In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee 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 be sure 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).

    Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Bognor Regis from the perspective of speeding up the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Bognor Regis can be reduced if you appoint lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers representatives.
    • Many landlords or Management Companies in Bognor Regis levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should find out the fee that they propose to charge. The management pack sought on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most usual cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Bognor Regis.
  • Some Bognor Regis leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers put in hand financial (bank) and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their solicitors.
  • If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should ensure that you are holding the original share document. Arranging a replacement share certificate is often a time consuming formality and delays many a Bognor Regis home move. Where a duplicate share is required, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (where applicable) for this sooner rather than later.
  • You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to verify this by asking your solicitors. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to where the lease term is less than 80 years. In the circumstances it is important at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.

    • Bognor Regis Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

      What is the name of the managing agents? Its a good idea to discover as much as possible regarding the managing agents as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you are often at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to practical issues such as the upkeep of the common parts. Don't be afraid to ask other tenants whether they are happy with their service. In conclusion, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the managing agents and precisely how they are spending the funds. Is anyone aware of any major works on the horizon that will increase the service costs?

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Bognor Regis