Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only 68 years left on my flat in East Dean. I now want to get lease extension but my landlord is can not be found. What are my options?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, 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 Court. You will be obliged to prove that you have made all reasonable attempts to locate the landlord. In some cases an enquiry agent may be useful to try and locate and prepare an expert document to be used as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a property lawyer both on proving the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court overseeing East Dean.

Due to complete next month on a garden flat in East Dean. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they report fully tomorrow. What should I be looking out for?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in East Dean should include some of the following:

• Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord
• Setting out your legal entitlements in respect of common areas in the block.For example, does the lease include a right of way over an accessway or staircase?
• Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat?
• You should be told what counts as a Nuisance in the lease
• The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide.
• What you can do if a neighbour breach a clause of their lease?

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my garden apartment in East Dean.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just received a quarterly service charge invoice – what should I do?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should discharge the invoice 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. 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 seems to be perfect, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have just been informed that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in East Dean. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in East Dean ?

The majority of houses in East Dean are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in East Dean in which case you should be looking for a East Dean conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as obtaining the freeholder’spermission to carry out alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor should advise you fully on all the issues.

Back In 2001, I bought a leasehold house in East Dean. Conveyancing and Birmingham Midshires mortgage went though with no issue. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1995. The conveyancing solicitor in East Dean who acted for me is not around.Do I pay?

First make enquiries of HMLR to make sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. There is no need to instruct a East Dean conveyancing firm to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

East Dean Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should ask before buying

Is the freehold reversion owned jointly by the leaseholders? Where a East Dean lease has less than eighty years it will have adverse implications on the salability of the apartment. It is worth checking with your lender that they are happy with remaining years on the lease. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining means that you will probably have to extend the lease sooner rather than later and it is worth finding out what this would cost. For most East Deanlease extensions you would be be obliged to have been the owner of the property for 24 months in order to be eligible to carry out a lease extension.