I have just appointed agents to market my 2 bed apartment in Ferryside.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just had a yearly maintenance charge invoice – what should I do?

It best that you clear 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 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently found out that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Ferryside. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Ferryside ?

Most houses in Ferryside are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Ferryside so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Ferryside conveyancing practitioner and check that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the landlord’sconsent to carry out alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your lawyer should report to you on the legal implications.

I work for a busy estate agent office in Ferryside where we see a few flat sales jeopardised due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have received conflicting advice from local Ferryside 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 been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer can avoid having to sit tight for 2 years for a lease extension. 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 disposal of the property.

Alternatively, it may be possible 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.

What are your top tips when it comes to finding a Ferryside conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Ferryside conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you talk with two or three firms including non Ferryside conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be useful:

• How familiar is the firm with lease extension legislation?
• Can they put you in touch with client in Ferryside who can give a testimonial?

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on our sale of a £ 475000 apartment in Ferryside in 5 days. The freeholder has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Ferryside?

Ferryside conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes often involves the purchaser’s solicitor sending enquiries for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer these enquiries the majority will be willing to do so. They may invoice a reasonable administration fee for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some cases it exceeds £800. The administration charge demanded by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, otherwise the charge is not strictly payable. In reality you have little option but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to complete the sale of your home.

I purchased a basement flat in Ferryside, conveyancing having been completed 3 years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Ferryside with a long lease are worth £201,000. The ground rent is £50 invoiced annually. The lease expires on 21st October 2085

You have 59 years unexpired the likely cost is going to be between £21,900 and £25,200 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.