Looking forward to complete next month on a leasehold property in Killamarsh. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they are sending me a report on Monday. What should I be looking out for?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Killamarsh should include some of the following:

• The total extent of the property. This will be the apartment itself but could also include a roof space or basement if appropriate.

I've found a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Killamarsh. Conveyancing lawyers have are about to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Killamarsh ?

The majority of houses in Killamarsh are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Killamarsh so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Killamarsh conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your solicitor should report to you on the legal implications.

Back In 2008, I bought a leasehold flat in Killamarsh. Conveyancing and Norwich and Peterborough Building Society mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1991. The conveyancing solicitor in Killamarsh who previously acted has now retired.Do I pay?

The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to incur the fees of a Killamarsh conveyancing solicitor to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

Last month I purchased a leasehold flat in Killamarsh. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before my ownership?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner 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 be sure 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 finding a Killamarsh conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Killamarsh conveyancing practice) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you talk with several firms including non Killamarsh conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be of use:

• How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?

Leasehold Conveyancing in Killamarsh - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

Most Killamarsh leasehold apartments will be liable to pay a service bill for maintenance of the block invoiced by the freeholder. If you purchase the flat you will have to meet this amount, usually in instalments during the year. This may differ from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built blocks. In all probability there will be a rentcharge to be met annual, this is usually not a large amount, say about £25-£75 but you need to enquire as sometimes it could be prohibitively expensive. The best form of lease arrangement is if the freehold reversion is in the ownership of the leaseholders. In this arrangement the leaseholders enjoy being in charge if their destiny and even though a managing agent is frequently retained where it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent employed by the leaseholders. Best to be warned whether a new roof is being installed or some other major work is coming up to be shared between the tenants and could well dramatically impact the level of the maintenance costs or result in a specific invoice.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Killamarsh