Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only Sixty One years remaining on my lease in Mousehole. I now wish to get lease extension but my landlord is missing. What are my options?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be lengthened by the magistrate. However, you will be required to prove that you have made all reasonable attempts to track down the landlord. On the whole a specialist may be useful to carry out a search and to produce an expert document which can be used as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor in relation to investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing Mousehole.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have since been informed that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Mousehole. Conveyancing solicitors have are about to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Mousehole ?

Most houses in Mousehole are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Mousehole in which case you should be looking for a Mousehole conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to transacting on 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 with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your lawyer should report to you on the legal implications.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two flats in Mousehole which have approximately fifty years remaining on the leases. Do I need to be concerned?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a period of time. As the lease shortens the marketability of the lease decreases and it becomes more expensive to extend the lease. For this reason it is advisable to extend the lease term. It is often difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We advise that you seek professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area

I've recently bought a leasehold house in Mousehole. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

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).

What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Mousehole conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Mousehole conveyancing firm) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you talk with several firms including non Mousehole conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be of use:

• What volume of lease extensions has the firm carried out in Mousehole in the last year?

Mousehole Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments? How much is the ground rent and service charge? Most Mousehole leasehold flats will be liable to pay a service charge for the upkeep of the building invoiced by the management company. Where you buy the apartment you will have to pay this amount, normally in instalments accross the year. This can be anything from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large common areas. There will also be a rentcharge to be met yearly, normally this is not a significant sum, say about £25-£75 but you should to check as occasionally it could be many hundreds of pounds.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Mousehole