Leasehold Conveyancing in Brighstone - Get a Quote from the leasehold experts approved by your lender

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While any conveyancing solicitor can theoretically deal with your leasehold conveyancing in Brighstone, your mortgage provider may unwilling to work with them if the firm are not on their list of approved solicitors for conveyancing

Frequently asked questions relating to Brighstone leasehold conveyancing

I have recently realised that I have Sixty One years left on my flat in Brighstone. I am keen to extend my lease but my landlord is can not be found. What should I do?

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 enable the lease to be lengthened by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you have done all that could be expected to find the lessor. For most situations a specialist should be useful to try and locate and to produce an expert document to be accepted by the court as proof that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a solicitor in relation to proving the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court overseeing Brighstone.

Looking forward to exchange soon on a leasehold property in Brighstone. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they report fully tomorrow. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Brighstone should include some of the following:

  • You should receive a copy of the lease
  • The total extent of the property. This will be the property itself but could also incorporate a roof space or cellar if appropriate.
  • Does the lease require carpeting throughout thus preventing wood flooring?
  • Whether the lease restricts you from subletting the property, or having a home office for business
  • Whether your lease has a provision for a sinking fund?
  • Repair and maintenance of the flat
  • Responsibility for repairing the window frames For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Brighstone please ask your lawyer in advance of your conveyancing in Brighstone

    • I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to meet my requirements, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Brighstone. Conveyancing solicitors have are about to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Brighstone ?

    The majority of houses in Brighstone are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Brighstone so you should seriously consider looking for a Brighstone conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the freeholder’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 part of an estate. Your lawyer will advise you fully on all the issues.

    What are your top tips when it comes to finding a Brighstone conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

    If you are instructing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Brighstone conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you speak with several firms including non Brighstone conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be of use:

    • If the firm is not ALEP accredited then why not?
  • How many lease extensions have they completed in Brighstone in the last year?

    • Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Brighstone with the aim of speeding up the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Brighstone can be avoided where you appoint lawyers the minute your agents start marketing the property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the purchasers’ lawyers.
    • The majority landlords or managing agents in Brighstone levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the fee that they propose to charge. The management pack can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most frequent reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Brighstone.
  • In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s permission? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Brighstone state that internal structural alterations or installing wooden flooring require a licence issued by the Landlord approving such works. If you fail to have the approvals in place do not contact the landlord without checking with your conveyancer in advance.
  • If you have had conflict with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are settled before the property is marketed. The buyers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where there is an ongoing dispute. You may have to bite the bullet and pay any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. 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 particulars of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as historic as opposed to unsettled.
  • If you are supposed to have a share in the Management Company, you should ensure that you have the original share certificate. Obtaining a replacement share certificate can be a lengthy process and delays many a Brighstone home move. Where a new share certificate is necessary, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (where relevant) for this sooner rather than later.

    • I purchased a leasehold flat in Brighstone, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Brighstone with an extended lease are worth £265,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 levied per year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2099

    With only 74 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £10,500 and £12,000 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

    The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt additional issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Brighstone