There are only Seventy years remaining on my flat in Linton. I now wish to extend my lease but my freeholder is can not be found. What are my options?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be granted an extra 90 years by the Court. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to find the landlord. For most situations an enquiry agent would be useful to carry out a search and to produce a report to be accepted by the court as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a solicitor in relation to proving the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing Linton.

Due to sign contracts shortly on a studio apartment in Linton. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they will have a report out to me on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord

The physical extent of the demise. This will be the flat itself but might incorporate a roof space or basement if appropriate.

Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat?

You need to be told what constitutes a Nuisance in the lease

An explanation as to the provision in the lease to pay service charges - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has

I don't know whether the lease allows me to alter or improve anything in the flat - you should know whether it applies to all alterations or just structural alteration, and whether consent is required

What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease? For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Linton please ask your solicitor in ahead of your conveyancing in Linton

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my basement apartment in Linton.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just had a yearly maintenance charge demand – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

It best that you 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.

What are your top tips when it comes to choosing a Linton conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Linton conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggested that you speak with two or three firms including non Linton conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be helpful:

• How many lease extensions have they completed in Linton in the last year?

What are the charges for lease extension conveyancing?

We expect to complete our sale of a £425000 maisonette in Linton next week. The freeholder has quoted £372 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Linton?

Linton conveyancing on leasehold apartments ordinarily involves fees being invoiced by landlords agents :

• Answering conveyancing due diligence questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Linton
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your lawyer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Linton leasehold premises is £350. For Linton conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are obliged to provide the information.

Linton Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should consider before buying

Its a good idea to find out as much as possible about the managing agents as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you are frequently in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to daily matters such as the cleanliness of the common parts. You should not be afraid to ask prospective neighbours what they think of them. In conclusion, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the relevant party and precisely what you get for your money. What restrictions are contained in the Linton Lease? Who are the managing agents?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Linton