Leasehold Conveyancing in Linton - Get a Quote from the leasehold experts approved by your lender

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When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Linton, you will need to instruct a conveyancing lawyer with leasehold experience. Whether your lender is to be Lloyds, RBS or NatWest be sure to find a lawyer on their approved list. Find a Linton conveyancing lawyer with our search tool

Linton leasehold conveyancing Example Support Desk Enquiries

I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Linton. Before diving in I require certainty as to the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in Linton - 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.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only Sixty One years left on my lease in Linton. I am keen to extend my lease but my landlord is absent. What options are available to me?

On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to locate the freeholder. In some cases an enquiry agent would be useful to conduct investigations and to produce an expert document which can be used as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a property lawyer both on investigating the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court overseeing Linton.

I have just started marketing my basement flat in Linton.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just received a yearly service charge demand – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

It best that you clear 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 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. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I've recently bought a leasehold flat in Linton. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to 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. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part 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).

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Linton with the purpose of saving time on the sale process?

  • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Linton can be avoided if you appoint lawyers the minute your agents start advertising the property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers solicitors.
  • If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s consent? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Linton state that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring necessitate a licence from the Landlord approving such changes. Should you dont have the consents to hand do not communicate with the landlord without contacting your lawyer first.
  • Some Linton leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is financially capable of paying the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their solicitors.
  • If there is a history of conflict with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are settled prior to the flat being marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where there is an ongoing dispute. You may need to swallow your pride and discharge any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is better to present the dispute as over rather than unresolved.
  • If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should make sure that you hold the original share certificate. Arranging a duplicate share certificate is often a time consuming process and frustrates many a Linton home move. If a new share is required, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (where applicable) for this at the earliest opportunity.

    • Leasehold Conveyancing in Linton - Examples of Queries before buying

      On the whole the cost for major works tend not to be incorporated into the maintenance charges, although some managing agents in Linton require leaseholders to pay into a sinking fund created for the specific intention of establishing a fund for larger works. Please inform me if there are any major works anticipated that will add a premium to the service costs? How long is the Lease?

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Linton