Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Bourne End:

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Leasehold conveyancing in Bourne End is more complex than freehold. Your home move will be smoother where you choose a lawyer with a wealth of experience of leasehold conveyancing in Bourne End and across next step up in loc. The lawyers we recommend have been approved by your lender so use our search tool to check.

Common questions relating to Bourne End leasehold conveyancing

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have since been informed that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Bourne End. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Bourne End ?

The majority of houses in Bourne End are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are buying in Bourne End so you should seriously consider looking for a Bourne End conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the landlord’sconsent to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor will report to you on the legal implications.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Bourne End. Conveyancing and Aldermore mortgage went though with no issue. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1998. The conveyancing practitioner in Bourne End who acted for me is not around.Do I pay?

The first thing you should do is contact the Land Registry to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. You do not need to instruct a Bourne End conveyancing solicitor to do this as it can be done on-line for a few pound. You should note that regardless, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Last month I purchased a leasehold house in Bourne End. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before my ownership?

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. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part 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).

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Bourne End with the intention of expediting the sale process?

  • A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Bourne End can be avoided where you get in touch lawyers as soon as your agents start advertising the property and ask them to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the purchasers’ solicitors.
  • Many freeholders or Management Companies in Bourne End charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the actual amount of the charges. The management information sought on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Bourne End.
  • If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s permission? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Bourne End state that internal structural alterations or installing wooden flooring calls for a licence issued by the Landlord approving such alterations. Should you fail to have the paperwork in place you should not contact the landlord without contacting your solicitor first.
  • Some Bourne End leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, you should place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are financially capable of paying the annual 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 lawyers.
  • If there is a history of any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved before the property is put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where there is an ongoing dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to pay any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to present the dispute as over as opposed to unresolved.

    • If all goes to plan we aim to complete the sale of our £475000 maisonette in Bourne End next week. The freeholder has quoted £384 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Bourne End?

    Bourne End conveyancing on leasehold flats normally involves the buyer’s solicitor submitting questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to respond to these enquiries the majority will be content to do so. They are entitled levy a reasonable charge for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some cases it exceeds £800. The administration charge required by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, otherwise the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality you have no option but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to exchange contracts with the buyer.

    Bourne End Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

      If a Bourne End lease has no more than eighty years it will affect the salability of the flat. It is worth checking with your lender that they are willing to lend given the lease term. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining means that you will most likely have to extend the lease at some point and you need to have some idea of what this will be. Remember, in most cases you would need to own the premises for 24 months before you are entitled to exercise a lease extension. Who is in charge of the building? Be sure to find out if the the lease contains any onerous restrictions in the lease. For example plenty of leases prohibit pets being allowed in in a block in Bourne End. If you like the propertyin Bourne End yet your dog is not allowed to move with you then you will be presented with a hard determination.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Bourne End