Guaranteed fixed fees for Leasehold Conveyancing in Maryland

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When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Maryland, you will need to appoint a conveyancing practitioner with leasehold experience. Whether your mortgage company is to be Halifax, Yorkshire Building Society or Nationwide be sure to choose a lawyer on their approved list. Feel free to use our search tool

Common questions relating to Maryland leasehold conveyancing

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

If the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in Maryland - 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.

I only have 72 years remaining on my lease in Maryland. I now want to get lease extension but my freeholder is absent. What are my options?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, 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 extended by the magistrate. You will be obliged to prove that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to locate the lessor. For most situations an enquiry agent would be helpful to carry out a search and prepare a report which can be accepted by the court as proof that the freeholder can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a property lawyer in relation to devolving into the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Maryland.

Looking forward to sign contracts shortly on a basement flat in Maryland. 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 Maryland 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 total extent of the property. This will be the apartment itself but could also include a roof space or basement if applicable.
  • Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this is subject to change
  • 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
  • You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
  • The landlord’s obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building
  • Responsibility for repairing the window frames For details of the information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Maryland please enquire of your conveyancer in ahead of your conveyancing in Maryland

    • I own a leasehold flat in Maryland. Conveyancing and Chelsea Building Society mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing practitioner in Maryland who previously acted has now retired.What should I do?

    The first thing you should do is make enquiries of HMLR to make sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is indeed the new freeholder. There is no need to instruct a Maryland conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

    Can you offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Maryland conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

    If you are instructing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Maryland conveyancing practice) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you speak with two or three firms including non Maryland conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be of use:

    • How many lease extensions have they conducted in Maryland in the last 12 months?
  • What are the charges for lease extension conveyancing?

    • I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord for a lease extension without getting anywhere. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal decide on such matters? Can you recommend a Maryland conveyancing firm to assist?

    Where there is a absentee landlord or if there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the relevant legislation it is possible to make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to arrive at the sum to be paid.

    An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Maryland flat is 151A Ham Park Road in May 2010. The matter came before the Tribunal by way of a vesting order made on 12 June 2009 Deputy District Judge Coonan in Bow County Court. The tribunal decided that the sum payable for the m to be paid for the lease extension was £21,445 This case related to 1 flat.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Maryland