I have just appointed agents to market my 2 bed apartment in Calcot.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just had a half-yearly service charge demand – what should I do?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should clear 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 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

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 subsequently discovered that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Calcot. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Calcot ?

Most houses in Calcot are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are buying in Calcot in which case you should be shopping around for a Calcot 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. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the landlord’spermission to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should advise you fully on all the issues.

Back In 2001, I bought a leasehold house in Calcot. Conveyancing and Bank of Scotland mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1991. The conveyancing solicitor in Calcot who acted for me is not around.Any advice?

The first thing you should do is contact the Land Registry to be sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to incur the fees of a Calcot conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Completion in due on our sale of a £475000 apartment in Calcot in just under a week. The landlords agents has quoted £360 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Calcot?

Calcot conveyancing on leasehold flats often necessitates the purchaser’s conveyancer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address such questions the majority will be willing to do so. They are entitled charge a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some transactions it exceeds £800. The management information fee demanded by the landlord must be accompanied by 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 demanded should you wish to complete the sale of your home.

What makes a Calcot lease defective?

Leasehold conveyancing in Calcot is not unique. All leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain sections are not included. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

• A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the property
• A duty to insure the building
• Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

You could encounter a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Halifax, The Mortgage Works, and Alliance & Leicester all have very detailed requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the buyer to pull out.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Calcot - A selection of Queries Prior to Purchasing

Are there any major works on the horizon that will add a premium to the service charges? Plenty Calcot leasehold properties will incur a service bill for maintenance of the block levied by the landlord. Should you acquire the flat you will have to meet this amount, usually periodically throughout the year. This can vary from several hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built blocks. In all probability there will be a rentcharge for you to pay annual, normally this is not a exorbitant amount, say about £50-£100 but you should to check as on occasion it can be prohibitively expensive. Who are the managing agents?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Calcot