Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Kirkby. Before diving in I would like to find out the unexpired term of the lease.

If the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in Kirkby - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars 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.

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my basement flat in Kirkby.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just received a quarterly maintenance charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

It best that you pay the service charge 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 managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless 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. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two flats in Kirkby both have about fifty years remaining on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

A lease is a right to use the property for a period of time. As the lease shortens the saleability of the lease decreases and it becomes more costly to extend the lease. This is why it is generally wise to increase the term of the lease. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies may be reluctant to lend money on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We recommend you seek professional assistance from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this arena

Can you offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Kirkby conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Kirkby conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you speak with two or three firms including non Kirkby conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be useful:

• How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• If the firm is not ALEP accredited then why not?

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Kirkby with the intention of expediting the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Kirkby can be reduced where you appoint lawyers as soon as your agents start marketing the property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers conveyancers.
• The majority landlords or Management Companies in Kirkby charge for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management pack sought as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Kirkby.
• In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s consent? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Kirkby state that internal structural alterations or laying down wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord approving such works. Where you dont have the consents in place you should not contact the landlord without checking with your lawyer first.
• If you have had any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are settled before the property is put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where a dispute is unsettled. You may have to bite the bullet 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 prior to 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 historic as opposed to ongoing.
• If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should make sure that you are holding the original share document. Arranging a duplicate share certificate can be a lengthy formality and frustrates many a Kirkby home move. If a new share certificate is needed, do contact the company officers or managing agents (if relevant) for this sooner rather than later.

I inherited a leasehold flat in Kirkby, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Equivalent properties in Kirkby with over 90 years remaining are worth £252,000. The ground rent is £60 levied per year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2100

With just 74 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £12,400 and £14,200 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.