Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Llandaff. Before I set the wheels in motion I require certainty as to the remaining lease term.

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Llandaff - 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.

I am hoping to sign contracts shortly on a leasehold property in Llandaff. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they report fully on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• How long the lease is You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and informed of the importance of not letting the lease term falling below eighty years

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Llandaff. Conveyancing and Halifax mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing solicitor in Llandaff who previously acted has long since retired.What should I do?

First make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is indeed the new freeholder. There is no need to instruct a Llandaff conveyancing solicitor to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I've recently bought a leasehold flat in Llandaff. 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. Strange as it may seem, 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).

Can you offer any advice when it comes to finding a Llandaff conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Llandaff conveyancing practice) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Llandaff conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be helpful:

• What volume of lease extensions has the firm completed in Llandaff in the last twenty four months?

Leasehold Conveyancing in Llandaff - Examples of Queries Prior to buying

What is the the remaining lease term? You will want to find out as much as possible concerning the managing agents as they will either make your life much easier or uncomfortable. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are often in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to daily issues such as the upkeep of the common parts. Ask prospective neighbours what they think of their service. On a final note, be sure you know the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the relevant party and specifically how they are spending the funds. You should be aware that where the lease has less than 80 years it will have adverse implications on the value of the property. Check with your mortgage company that they are willing to lend given the lease term. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining means that you will probably have to extend the lease sooner rather than later and it is worth finding out how much this will be. For most Llandafflease extensions you would be required to have been the owner of the premises for 24 months before you are entitled to exercise a lease extension.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Llandaff