I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Maryport. Before diving in I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and 99.9% are in Maryport - 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 today plan to offer on a house that seems to meet my requirements, at a great price which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Maryport. Conveyancing lawyers have are about to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Maryport ?

Most houses in Maryport are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Maryport in which case you should be looking for a Maryport conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should appraise you on the various issues.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of maisonettes in Maryport both have approximately forty five years remaining on the leases. Do I need to be concerned?

There are plenty of short leases in Maryport. The lease is a right to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease shortens the value of the lease reduces and it becomes more costly to extend the lease. This is why it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage companies may be unwilling to lend money on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We recommend you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area

Last month I purchased a leasehold flat in Maryport. 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 lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, 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).

We expect to complete the disposal of our £150000 flat in Maryport on Friday in a week. The management company has quoted £408 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Maryport?

Maryport conveyancing on leasehold flats often involves the purchaser’s solicitor submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to respond to such questions most will be willing to do so. They are at liberty charge a reasonable charge for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some transactions it is above £800. The administration charge demanded by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in respect of administration fees, without which the charge is technically not due. In reality one has no option but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to complete the sale of your home.

I inherited a basement flat in Maryport, conveyancing having been completed 6 years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Similar flats in Maryport with a long lease are worth £237,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 levied per year. The lease ends on 21st October 2085

With just 64 years left to run the likely cost is going to span between £19,000 and £22,000 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Maryport