I today plan to offer on a house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have just discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Great Sankey. Conveyancing solicitors have are about to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Great Sankey are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Great Sankey so you should seriously consider looking for a Great Sankey conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as obtaining the landlord’spermission to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your lawyer should advise you fully on all the issues.

I am looking at a two maisonettes in Great Sankey which have about forty five years unexpired on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There are plenty of short leases in Great Sankey. The lease is a right to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As the lease shortens the marketability of the lease reduces and it becomes more costly to extend the lease. For this reason it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. Sometimes it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage companies may be unwilling to lend money on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We advise that you get professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this arena

I've recently bought a leasehold flat in Great Sankey. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Great Sankey conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Great Sankey conveyancing practice) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you talk with several firms including non Great Sankey conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be helpful:

• How many lease extensions have they conducted in Great Sankey in the last year?
• What are the charges for lease extension work?

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the disposal of our £ 325000 maisonette in Great Sankey next week. The managing agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Great Sankey?

Great Sankey conveyancing on leasehold flats normally involves the purchaser’s solicitor submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address such questions the majority will be content to do so. They may invoice a reasonable administration fee for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it is in excess of £800. The administration charge invoiced by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. In reality one has little choice but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to sell the property.

Great Sankey Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries before buying

Are there any major works in the near future that will add a premium to the service costs? Best to be warned if a new roof is being installed or some other major work is anticipated to be shared amongst the tenants and will dramatically increase the the service costs or result in a one time invoice.