I’m about to sell my basement flat in Danbury.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just had a quarterly maintenance charge invoice – what should I do?

The sensible thing to do is 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Danbury. Conveyancing and Accord Mortgages Ltd mortgage went though with no issue. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing practitioner in Danbury who previously acted has now retired.What should I do?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. You do not need to incur the fees of a Danbury conveyancing lawyer to do this as it can be done on-line for a few pound. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two maisonettes in Danbury which have in the region of fifty years remaining on the leases. should I be concerned?

There are plenty of short leases in Danbury. The lease is a right to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As the lease gets shorter the saleability of the lease reduces and results in it becoming more costly to extend the lease. This is why it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage companies may be unwilling to lend money on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a protracted process. We advise that you get professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this arena

Can you offer any advice when it comes to finding a Danbury conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Danbury conveyancing practice) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you make enquires with several firms including non Danbury conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be useful:

• If the firm is not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the sale of our £425000 garden flat in Danbury in just under a week. The management company has quoted £312 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Danbury?

Danbury conveyancing on leasehold flats normally requires the buyer’s conveyancer submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to answer these enquiries most will be willing to do so. They may invoice a reasonable administration fee for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some situations it exceeds £800. The management information fee demanded by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in relation to administration charges, without which the invoice is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that one has no choice but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to complete the sale of your home.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Danbury - A selection of Queries Prior to buying

Is anyone aware of any major works in the near future that will likely increase the maintenance fees? This question is useful as a) areas could result in problems in the block as the common areas may begin to deteriorate where repairs remain unpaid b) if the tenants have a dispute with the managing agents you will want to know about it The prefered form of lease arrangement is a share of the freehold. In this scenario the lessees have control and although a managing agent is often retained where it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Danbury