Recently asked questions relating to Melbourn leasehold conveyancing
Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Melbourn. Before I set the wheels in motion I require certainty as to the unexpired term of the lease.
If the lease is registered - and most are in Melbourn - 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.
Frank (my husband) and I may need to sub-let our Melbourn ground floor flat temporarily due to a career opportunity. We instructed a Melbourn conveyancing practice in 2001 but they have closed and we did not think at the time get any guidance as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?
Even though your previous Melbourn conveyancing lawyer is no longer available you can review your lease to check if it allows you to sublet the premises. The accepted inference is that if the lease is non-specific, subletting is permitted. There may be a precondition that you must obtain consent via your landlord or some other party in advance of subletting. The net result is that you cannot sublet without first obtaining permission. The consent should not be unreasonably turned down. If the lease does not allow you to sublet you should ask your landlord for their consent.
I have just started marketing my 2 bed apartment in Melbourn.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just had a quarterly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?
Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should clear 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 managing agents 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. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.
I've recently bought a leasehold property in Melbourn. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to 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. 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).
All being well we will complete our sale of a £150000 garden flat in Melbourn next Thursday . The managing agents has quoted £324 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Melbourn?
Melbourn conveyancing on leasehold apartments often necessitates the purchaser’s conveyancer submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to respond to such questions the majority will be content to do so. They may invoice a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some transactions it is in excess of £800. The management information fee levied by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of rights and obligations in relation to administration charges, without which the charge is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that you have little choice but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.
I acquired a ground floor flat in Melbourn, conveyancing was carried out 6 years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Similar flats in Melbourn with a long lease are worth £183,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2084
With only 61 years left to run the likely cost is going to be between £20,000 and £23,000 as well as costs.
The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.
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