Expecting to sign contracts shortly on a garden flat in Ewloe. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they report fully tomorrow. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• Setting out your rights in respect of the communal areas in the block.E.G., does the lease provide for a right of way over an accessway or hallways?
• Does the lease require carpeting throughout thus preventing wood flooring?
• Will you be prohibited or prevented from having pets in the property?
• Does the lease prevent you from subletting the property, or having a home office for business
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
• Responsibility for repairing the window frames
• What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease?

Back In 2001, I bought a leasehold flat in Ewloe. Conveyancing and Platform Home Loans Ltd mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1996. The conveyancing practitioner in Ewloe who previously acted has now retired.Do I pay?

The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to be sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is indeed the new freeholder. It is not necessary to instruct a Ewloe conveyancing firm to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. You should note that regardless, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I am a negotiator for a reputable estate agent office in Ewloe where we see a few leasehold sales derailed as a result of short leases. I have been given conflicting advice from local Ewloe conveyancing solicitors. Could you clarify whether the seller of a flat can commence the lease extension formalities for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

As long as the seller has owned the lease 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. This means that the proposed purchaser can avoid having to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. 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 agree the lease extension with the freeholder 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 buyer.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to finding a Ewloe conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Ewloe conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you talk with two or three firms including non Ewloe 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 useful:

• How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• If the firm is not ALEP accredited then why not?

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Ewloe from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Ewloe can be bypassed if you get in touch lawyers the minute you market your property and ask them to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the purchasers’ lawyers.
• Many landlords or Management Companies in Ewloe levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the actual amount of the charges. The management pack can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most common cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Ewloe.
• In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s consent? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Ewloe leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring calls for a licence issued by the Landlord consenting to such changes. If you dont have the approvals in place you should not contact the landlord without contacting your conveyancer in the first instance.
• Some Ewloe leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers obtain bank and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their solicitors.
• If you have had conflict with your landlord or managing agents it is very important that these are resolved prior to the flat being put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where there is an ongoing dispute. You may have to bite the bullet and discharge any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to present the dispute as over as opposed to ongoing.

I bought a split level flat in Ewloe, conveyancing was carried out in 2009. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Comparable properties in Ewloe with over 90 years remaining are worth £216,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2097

You have 71 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £10,500 and £12,000 plus legals.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.