Frequently asked questions relating to Clifton leasehold conveyancing
Due to complete next month on a basement flat in Clifton. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they are sending me a report on Monday. What should I be looking out for?
Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Clifton should include some of the following:
- You should be sent a copy of the lease
I’m about to sell my 2 bed apartment in Clifton.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just had a yearly maintenance charge demand – Do I pay up?
Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should pay 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 management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless 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. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.
I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to be perfect, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since discovered that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Clifton. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?
Most houses in Clifton are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Clifton so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Clifton conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the freeholder’sconsent to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your solicitor will appraise you on the various issues.
I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of flats in Clifton both have in the region of fifty years unexpired on the lease term. Will this present a problem?
A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease gets shorter the saleability of the lease reduces and results in it becoming more expensive to extend the lease. For this reason it is often a good idea to extend the lease term. More often than not it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage companies may be unwilling to lend money on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We advise that you get professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this arena
I work for a long established estate agency in Clifton where we see a few leasehold sales put at risk due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given conflicting advice from local Clifton conveyancing solicitors. Please can you clarify whether the seller of a flat can instigate the lease extension process for the buyer?
Provided that the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer need not have to sit tight for 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed prior to, or at the same time as completion of the sale.
An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.
I bought a 1st floor flat in Clifton, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Equivalent properties in Clifton with over 90 years remaining are worth £173,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £60 invoiced annually. The lease expires on 21st October 2084
With only 64 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £14,300 and £16,400 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.
The figure 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 may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.
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