I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Middlewich. Before I set the wheels in motion I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.

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

My husband and I may need to sub-let our Middlewich ground floor flat temporarily due to a new job. We instructed a Middlewich conveyancing practice in 2001 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time get any advice as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

The lease governs the relationship between the landlord and you the flat owner; specifically, it will say if subletting is prohibited, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. The majority of leases in Middlewich do not contain an absolute prevention of subletting – such a clause would undoubtedly devalue the flat. Instead, there is usually simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a copy of the tenancy agreement.

Looking forward to sign contracts shortly on a leasehold property in Middlewich. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they will have a report out to me on Monday. What should I be looking out for?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Middlewich should include some of the following:

• Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, freeholder

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have just found out that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Middlewich. Conveyancing solicitors have are about to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Middlewich are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Middlewich so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Middlewich conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. 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 maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should advise you fully on all the issues.

Last month I purchased a leasehold property in Middlewich. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

In a situation 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. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure 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).

Middlewich Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should consider before buying

What is the maintenance charge and ground rent on the flat? If a Middlewich lease has less than 80 years it will affect the marketability of the property. Check with your mortgage company that they are happy with the length of the lease. A short lease means that you will probably need a lease extension at some point and it is worth finding out how much this will be. For most Middlewichlease extensions you will be required to have owned the premises for a couple of years before you are entitled to extend the lease. This information is important as a) areas could result in problems for the building as the common areas may start to deteriorate if services remain unpaid b) if the tenants have a dispute with the running of the building you will want to have complete disclosure

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Middlewich