Looking forward to sign contracts shortly on a garden flat in Grappenhall. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they report fully within the next couple of days. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Grappenhall should include some of the following:

• You should be sent a copy of the lease

The physical extent of the demise. This will be the property itself but could also incorporate a roof space or basement if appropriate.

Setting out your legal entitlements in respect of the communal areas in the building.E.G., does the lease provide for a right of way over a path or hallways?

An explanation as to the provision in the lease to pay service charges - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has

Whether your lease has a provision for a sinking fund?

Changes to the flat (alterations and additions)

The landlord’s obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building For details of the information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Grappenhall please ask your conveyancer in advance of your conveyancing in Grappenhall

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have since found out that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Grappenhall. Conveyancing lawyers have are about to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Grappenhall ?

The majority of houses in Grappenhall are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Grappenhall in which case you should be shopping around for a Grappenhall conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the landlord’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your solicitor will report to you on the legal implications.

I own a leasehold flat in Grappenhall. Conveyancing and Bank of Scotland mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1998. The conveyancing solicitor in Grappenhall who acted for me is not around.Do I pay?

First make enquiries of HMLR to be sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. You do not need to incur the fees of a Grappenhall conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

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

When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Grappenhall conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggested that you speak with several firms including non Grappenhall conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be of use:

• How many lease extensions have they conducted in Grappenhall in the last 12 months?

Can they put you in touch with client in Grappenhall who can give a testimonial?

We expect to complete our sale of a £150000 maisonette in Grappenhall in nine days. The management company has quoted £312 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Grappenhall?

Grappenhall conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes normally results in administration charges levied by landlords agents :

• Completing pre-contract questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Grappenhall
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Grappenhall leasehold property is £350. For Grappenhall conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to provide answers.

Grappenhall Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries before Purchasing

You should be aware if it is less than 80 years it will affect the salability of the flat. Check with your lender that they are willing to lend given the lease term. A short lease means that you will most likely have to extend the lease at some point and you need to have some idea of how much this would cost. For most Grappenhalllease extensions you will need to own the property for two years in order to be legally able to carry out a lease extension. Many Grappenhall leasehold apartments will have a service bill for the upkeep of the block invoiced on behalf of the landlord. Should you acquire the property you will have to meet this liability, normally periodically throughout the year. This may vary from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large communal grounds. There will also be a ground rent to be met yearly, this is usually not a large figure, say about £50-£100 but you should to enquire as on occasion it could be many hundreds of pounds. Be sure to discover if there are any onerous prohibitions in the lease. By way of example some leases prohibit pets being allowed in certain buildings in Grappenhall. If you love the flatin Grappenhall yet your cat is not allowed to make the move with you then you will be presented with a hard decision.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Grappenhall