Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in West Heath. Before diving in I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.

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

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my garden flat in West Heath.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just received a quarterly service charge demand – what should I do?

The sensible thing to do is discharge 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 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to be perfect, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in West Heath. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in West Heath ?

Most houses in West Heath are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in West Heath in which case you should be looking for a West Heath conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the landlord’spermission to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your lawyer will appraise you on the various issues.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in West Heath. Conveyancing and The Royal Bank of Scotland mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing solicitor in West Heath who previously acted has long since retired.What should I do?

First make enquiries of the Land Registry to make sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. You do not need to incur the fees of a West Heath conveyancing solicitor to do this as it can be done on-line for a few pound. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I am looking at a two flats in West Heath both have about forty five years left on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As the lease shortens the value of the lease deteriorate and it becomes more costly to acquire a lease extension. This is why it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. Sometimes it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We advise that you seek professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area

I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord for a lease extension without getting anywhere. Can I apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a West Heath conveyancing firm to assist?

You certainly can. We can put you in touch with a West Heath conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a West Heath residence is Various @ Colombus Square in January 2012. the Tribunal calculated the premiums to be paid for new leases for each of the flats in Mariners Walk to be £3822 and the premium to be paid for the new lease of 2 Knights Court to be £4439. This case affected 13 flats. The unexpired lease term was 76 years.

Leasehold Conveyancing in West Heath - A selection of Questions you should consider before buying

The majority of West Heath leasehold flats will be liable to pay a service charge for the upkeep of the building invoiced on behalf of the landlord. Should you buy the apartment you will have to pay this amount, usually in instalments during the year. This could be anything from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built blocks. In all likelihood there will be a ground rent to be met yearly, ordinarily this is not a exorbitant amount, say approximately £25-£75 but you need to check as on occasion it can be surprisingly expensive.