Experts for Leasehold Conveyancing in Frodsham

Whether you are buying or selling leasehold flat in Frodsham, our panel of leasehold conveyancing experts will help you move with as little stress as possible. Find a Frodsham conveyancing lawyer with our search tool

Frequently asked questions relating to Frodsham leasehold conveyancing

There are only Sixty One years left on my lease in Frodsham. I now wish to get lease extension but my freeholder is absent. What are my options?

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 enable the lease to be extended by the Court. You will be obliged to prove that you have done all that could be expected to locate the landlord. In some cases a specialist may be useful to try and locate and prepare an expert document to be accepted by the court as proof that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a property lawyer both on devolving into the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Frodsham.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to meet my requirements, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have since been informed that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Frodsham. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Frodsham are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Frodsham in which case you should be shopping around for a Frodsham conveyancing practitioner and check that they are used to advising 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 to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to conduct 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 will report to you on the legal implications.

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Frodsham conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Frodsham conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you make enquires with several firms including non Frodsham 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 of use:

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

  • Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Frodsham with the intention of expediting the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Frodsham can be reduced where you get in touch lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers lawyers.
    • Some Frodsham leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers put in hand bank and professional references. Any bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are financially capable of paying the yearly 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 actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their lawyers.
  • If you have had conflict with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are settled prior to the flat being marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where there is a current dispute. You may need to swallow your pride and discharge any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as over rather than unresolved.
  • If you are supposed to have a share in the freehold, you should ensure that you have the original share certificate. Organising a new share certificate can be a lengthy formality and frustrates many a Frodsham home move. Where a duplicate share certificate is needed, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (where relevant) for this sooner rather than later.
  • You believe that you know the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be advisable verify this via your conveyancers. A buyer’s lawyer will be unlikely to recommend their client to to exchange contracts if the remaining number of years is below 75 years. It is therefore essential at an early stage that you identify whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.

  • Are there frequently found problems that you encounter in leases for Frodsham properties?

    Leasehold conveyancing in Frodsham is not unique. All leases are individual and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain sections are erroneous. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

    • A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the premises
    • Insurance obligations
    • A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
    • Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

    A defective lease can cause problems when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Yorkshire Building Society, Skipton Building Society, and Clydesdale all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is problematic they may refuse to provide security, obliging the purchaser to pull out.

    Frodsham Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Queries before Purchasing

      It would be sensible to discover as much as you can about the managing agents as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to every day matters like the tidiness of the communal areas. You should not be shy to ask other tenants if they are happy with them. In conclusion, find out the dates that the service charges are due to the appropriate party and precisely what you get for your money. Many Frodsham leasehold apartments will incur a service bill for maintenance of the block invoiced on behalf of the management company. If you purchase the apartment you will have to meet this contribution, normally quarterly throughout the year. This can be anything from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built blocks. There will also be a ground rent for you to pay annual, normally this is not a large sum, say about £50-£100 but you should to check as occasionally it can be prohibitively expensive. It would be sensible to find out if the the lease includes any adverse restrictions in the lease. For instance plenty of leases prohibit pets being permitted in certain buildings in Frodsham. If you love the propertyin Frodsham however your cat can’t move with you then you will be faced hard decision.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Frodsham