I today plan to offer on a house that appears to be perfect, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Maidenhead. Conveyancing solicitors have are about to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Maidenhead ?

Most houses in Maidenhead are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Maidenhead so you should seriously consider looking for a Maidenhead conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should advise you fully on all the issues.

Last month I purchased a leasehold property in Maidenhead. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

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 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).

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Maidenhead conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Maidenhead conveyancing practice) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggested that you talk with two or three firms including non Maidenhead conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be useful:

• If they are not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?
• What volume of lease extensions have they conducted in Maidenhead in the last 12 months?

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Maidenhead from the perspective of saving time on the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Maidenhead can be avoided if you get in touch lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to collate the leasehold information needed by the purchasers’ representatives.
• Many landlords or managing agents in Maidenhead levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management information sought as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most common reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Maidenhead.
• If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Maidenhead leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord consenting to such changes. Should you dont have the consents in place you should not communicate with the landlord without checking with your conveyancer before hand.
• Some Maidenhead leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain bank and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the yearly 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 lawyers.
• If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should ensure that you are holding the original share certificate. Arranging a re-issued share certificate can be a time consuming process and frustrates many a Maidenhead conveyancing transaction. If a new share certificate is necessary, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (where relevant) for this as soon as possible.

All being well we will complete the disposal of our £ 350000 maisonette in Maidenhead in just under a week. The management company has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Maidenhead?

Maidenhead conveyancing on leasehold flats often involves the buyer’s lawyer submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer these enquiries most will be willing to assist. They are entitled levy a reasonable charge for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some cases it is above £800. The administration charge demanded by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration fees, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have no choice but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to sell the property.

I inherited a leasehold flat in Maidenhead, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Maidenhead with over 90 years remaining are worth £220,000. The ground rent is £60 charged once a year. The lease ends on 21st October 2100

You have 74 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £10,500 and £12,000 as well as costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.