Looking forward to sign contracts shortly on a garden flat in Milnthorpe. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they are sending me a report tomorrow. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• The total extent of the demise. This will be the property itself but could also incorporate a loft or basement if applicable.

Does the lease require carpeting throughout thus preventing wood flooring?

Whether the lease restricts you from renting out the property, or having a home office for business

Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this will change in the future

Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice?

The landlord’s obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building

What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease? For details of the information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Milnthorpe please enquire of your solicitor in ahead of your conveyancing in Milnthorpe

Back In 2002, I bought a leasehold flat in Milnthorpe. Conveyancing and Accord Mortgages Ltd mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1991. The conveyancing practitioner in Milnthorpe who acted for me is not around.Do I pay?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. There is no need to incur the fees of a Milnthorpe conveyancing firm to do this as it can be done on-line for £3. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I am looking at a couple of apartments in Milnthorpe which have about forty five years remaining on the leases. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a period of time. As the lease gets shorter the marketability of the lease reduces and it becomes more costly to extend the lease. This is why it is often a good idea to extend the lease term. Sometimes it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease because mortgage companies may be unwilling to lend money on such properties. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We recommend you get professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this area

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Milnthorpe from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Milnthorpe can be avoided if you get in touch lawyers as soon as your agents start marketing the property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers lawyers.
• The majority freeholders or managing agents in Milnthorpe levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should find out the fee that they propose to charge. The management pack sought as soon as you have a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Milnthorpe.

In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Milnthorpe state that internal structural alterations or installing wooden flooring necessitate a licence from the Landlord approving such changes. Should you fail to have the paperwork in place do not communicate with the landlord without contacting your lawyer before hand.

If you are supposed to have a share in the freehold, you should ensure that you are holding the original share certificate. Organising a re-issued share certificate is often a lengthy formality and slows down many a Milnthorpe home move. If a duplicate share is needed, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (where relevant) for this as soon as possible.

You believe that you know the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be advisable double-check via your lawyers. A purchaser's conveyancer will not be happy to advise their client to where the lease term is under 75 years. In the circumstances it is essential at an early stage that you consider whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale.

Completion in due on our sale of a £450000 apartment in Milnthorpe on Wednesday in a week. The managing agents has quoted £396 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Milnthorpe?

For the majority of leasehold sales in Milnthorpe conveyancing will involve, queries regarding the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

• Completing pre-contract questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Milnthorpe
• Copies of the building insurance and schedule
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Milnthorpe leasehold property is £350. For Milnthorpe conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to provide answers.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Milnthorpe - Examples of Queries before buying

Who are the managing agents? What is the length of the lease? Please note that where the lease has fewer than eighty years it will affect the marketability of the property. It is worth checking with your lender that they are happy with the length of the lease. A short lease means that you will most likely need a lease extension sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of what this will be. For most Milnthorpelease extensions you would be be obliged to have owned the premises for 24 months in order to be legally able to exercise a lease extension.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Milnthorpe