I have recently realised that I have 72 years left on my lease in Chesterfield. I now want to extend my lease but my landlord is absent. What are my options?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to locate the freeholder. On the whole a specialist would be useful to carry out a search and to produce an expert document to be accepted by the court as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a solicitor both on proving the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court covering Chesterfield.

I am hoping to sign contracts shortly on a ground floor flat in Chesterfield. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they are sending me a report next week. What should I be looking out for?

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

• Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, freeholder

I’m about to sell my ground floor flat in Chesterfield.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just received a yearly service charge demand – Do I pay up?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should discharge the service charge 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 managing agents 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 meet my requirements, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have just discovered that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Chesterfield. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Chesterfield ?

The majority of houses in Chesterfield are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are buying in Chesterfield in which case you should be looking for a Chesterfield conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the landlord’sconsent to carry out alterations. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your lawyer will report to you on the legal implications.

What makes a Chesterfield lease unmortgageable?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Chesterfield. All leases is drafted differently and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain provisions are wrong. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• Repairing obligations to or maintain elements of the property
• A duty to insure the building
• A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
• Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall

You may encounter difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Santander, Virgin Money, and Bank of Ireland all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is problematic they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the buyer to pull out.

Chesterfield Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries before Purchasing

Are there any major works in the planning that will likely add a premium to the maintenance costs? It would be prudent to discover as much as you can about the managing agents as they will either make life much easier or a lot more difficult. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to practical matters such as the upkeep of the communal areas. Ask other tenants whether they are happy with their management. In conclusion, investigate as to the dates that the service fees are due to the managing agents and specifically what it includes. How many years remain on the lease?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Chesterfield