I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Dyffryn Ardudwy. Before I set the wheels in motion I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and 99.9% are in Dyffryn Ardudwy - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title.For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

Last month I purchased a leasehold house in Dyffryn Ardudwy. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Dyffryn Ardudwy conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Dyffryn Ardudwy conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you speak with several firms including non Dyffryn Ardudwy 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 familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the disposal of our £375000 maisonette in Dyffryn Ardudwy in 5 days. The freeholder has quoted £420 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Dyffryn Ardudwy?

Dyffryn Ardudwy conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes often necessitates the buyer’s solicitor submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address these enquiries the majority will be willing to do so. They may levy a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some situations it is above £800. The management information fee levied by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that one has no choice but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to sell the property.

What makes a Dyffryn Ardudwy lease unmortgageable?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Dyffryn Ardudwy. All leases are unique and drafting errors can result in certain clauses are missing. 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
• 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

You could have a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Nationwide Building Society, Norwich and Peterborough Building Society, and Nottingham Building Society all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is problematic they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the buyer to pull out.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Dyffryn Ardudwy - A selection of Queries Prior to buying

What prohibitions are contained in the Dyffryn Ardudwy Lease? Most Dyffryn Ardudwy leasehold apartments will incur a service bill for maintenance of the block invoiced on behalf of the landlord. Where you purchase the property you will have to pay this charge, normally periodically throughout the year. This could differ from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large common areas. There will also be a ground rent to be met yearly, ordinarily this is not a significant amount, say about £50-£100 but you need to enquire as occasionally it can be many hundreds of pounds. Is anyone aware of any major works on the horizon that will add a premium to the service fees?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Dyffryn Ardudwy