I only have 68 years unexpired on my flat in Ditchling. I now wish to extend my lease but my landlord is absent. What should I do?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, 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 demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to locate the freeholder. For most situations an enquiry agent may be helpful to conduct investigations and prepare an expert document to be used as evidence that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor in relation to devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court covering Ditchling.

I have just started marketing my basement flat in Ditchling.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just had a half-yearly maintenance charge invoice – Do I pay up?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should clear 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 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. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have since discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Ditchling. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Ditchling 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. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Ditchling in which case you should be looking for a Ditchling conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is part of an estate. Your lawyer will report to you on the legal implications.

What advice can you give us when it comes to finding a Ditchling conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Ditchling conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you make enquires with several firms including non Ditchling conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be of use:

• How many lease extensions have they completed in Ditchling in the last year?

What are the charges for lease extension work?

Completion in due on the disposal of our £150000 maisonette in Ditchling on Monday in a week. The freeholder has quoted £360 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Ditchling?

For the majority of leasehold sales in Ditchling conveyancing will involve, questions about the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

• Answering pre-contract enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Ditchling
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Ditchling leasehold premises is £350. For Ditchling conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are obliged to provide answers.

Ditchling Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries before buying

Does the lease contain onerous restrictions? Many Ditchling leasehold apartments will have a service bill for the upkeep of the building invoiced on behalf of the management company. Should you acquire the apartment you will have to pay this liability, normally quarterly throughout the year. This can vary from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large communal areas. There will also be a ground rent for you to pay yearly, this is usually not a exorbitant figure, say about £50-£100 but you should to check it because sometimes it can be many hundreds of pounds. Who takes charge for maintaining and repairing the building?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Ditchling