I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Harwich. Before I get started I would like to find out the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and most are in Harwich - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title.For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

Planning to sign contracts shortly on a leasehold property in Harwich. Conveyancing lawyers inform me 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 Harwich should include some of the following:

• Are pets allowed in the flat?
• Does the lease prevent you from letting out the flat, or working from home
• Whether your lease has a provision for a sinking fund?
• Repair and maintenance of the flat
• 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
• Responsibility for repairing the window frames
• What you can do if a neighbour is in violation of a provision in their lease?

I have just started marketing my ground floor apartment in Harwich.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just had a quarterly maintenance charge invoice – what should I do?

The sensible thing to do is pay 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 today plan to offer on a house that appears to be perfect, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since discovered that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Harwich. Conveyancing solicitors have are about to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Harwich are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Harwich so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Harwich conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in 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 will likely included provisions for example requiring the landlord’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your solicitor will appraise you on the various issues.

Completion in due on the disposal of our £ 175000 maisonette in Harwich on Tuesday in a week. The freeholder has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Harwich?

Harwich conveyancing on leasehold flats more often than not involves the buyer’s conveyancer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to respond to these enquiries the majority will be content to assist. They may invoice a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some situations it is in excess of £800. The management information fee required by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration charges, without which the charge is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that one has little option but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to complete the sale of your home.

I acquired a studio flat in Harwich, conveyancing was carried out in 2004. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Equivalent flats in Harwich with over 90 years remaining are worth £225,000. The ground rent is £65 invoiced annually. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2085

You have 59 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £22,800 and £26,400 plus costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.