Moreton leasehold conveyancing: Q and A’s
There are only 62 years remaining on my flat in Moreton. I am keen to extend my lease but my landlord is absent. What options are available to me?
If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have made all reasonable attempts to locate the lessor. On the whole an enquiry agent would be helpful to try and locate and prepare a report to be used as proof that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a solicitor both on devolving into the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court overseeing Moreton.
Looking forward to complete next month on a studio apartment in Moreton. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they report fully on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?
The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Moreton 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 have just started marketing my ground floor flat in Moreton.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a quarterly maintenance charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?
It best that you discharge 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.
What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Moreton conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?
When appointing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Moreton conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you speak with two or three firms including non Moreton conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be helpful:
- Can they put you in touch with client in Moreton who can give a testimonial?
In relation to leasehold conveyancing in Moreton what are the most frequent lease defects?
There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Moreton. All leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain sections are erroneous. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:
- Repairing obligations to or maintain parts of the property
- Insurance obligations
- A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
- Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall
A defective lease will likely cause issues when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Halifax, Coventry Building Society, and Alliance & Leicester all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the purchaser to withdraw.
Moreton Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries Prior to buying
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Who takes charge for maintaining and repairing the building?
What is the annual service fee and ground rent?
The answer will be important as a) areas could result in problems in the building as the communal areas may begin to deteriorate where repairs remain unpaid b) if the tenants have a dispute with the managing agents you will wish to have full disclosure
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