I have recently realised that I have Seventy years unexpired on my flat in Calcot and Tilehurst. I now wish to get lease extension but my freeholder 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 an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be lengthened by the magistrate. You will be obliged to prove that you have made all reasonable attempts to locate the landlord. In some cases a specialist should be helpful to carry out a search and to produce a report to be accepted by the court as proof that the freeholder can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer both on proving the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court overseeing Calcot and Tilehurst.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great 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 particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Calcot and Tilehurst. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Calcot and Tilehurst ?

Most houses in Calcot and Tilehurst are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Calcot and Tilehurst in which case you should be shopping around for a Calcot and Tilehurst conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a leaseholder 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 changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your solicitor should report to you on the legal implications.

I am looking at a two apartments in Calcot and Tilehurst both have in the region of fifty years left on the lease term. should I be concerned?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a period of time. As a lease shortens the saleability of the lease decreases and it becomes more expensive to acquire a lease extension. This is why it is generally wise to extend the lease term. Sometimes it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies may be reluctant to lend money on such properties. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We advise that you seek professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this field

Can you offer any advice when it comes to choosing a Calcot and Tilehurst conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Calcot and Tilehurst conveyancing firm) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Calcot and Tilehurst conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be useful:

• How many lease extensions has the firm completed in Calcot and Tilehurst in the last 12 months?

When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Calcot and Tilehurst what are the most frequent lease problems?

Leasehold conveyancing in Calcot and Tilehurst is not unique. All leases are unique and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain clauses are missing. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• Repairing obligations to or maintain parts of the premises
• 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

A defective lease will likely cause issues when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. National Westminster Bank, Leeds Building Society, and Aldermore all have express conveyancing instructions 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, obliging the buyer to pull out.

Calcot and Tilehurst Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

This information is helpful as a) areas may cause problems in the building as the common areas may start to deteriorate where services remain unpaid b) if the tenants have a dispute with the running of the building you will need to have full disclosure Best to be warned whether a new roof is being put on or some other major work is anticipated to be shared amongst the tenants and could well materially increase the the service charges or result in a one off payment. Many Calcot and Tilehurst leasehold apartments will have a service charge for maintenance of the building invoiced on behalf of the landlord. Should you buy the apartment you will have to pay this charge, normally in instalments accross the year. This could vary from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for bigger purpose-built buildings. In all likelihood there will be a rentcharge to be met yearly, this is usually not a exorbitant amount, say approximately £50-£100 but you need to enquire it because occasionally it could be many hundreds of pounds.

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Lease Extensions in Calcot and Tilehurst