I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Nannerch. Before I get started I want to be sure as to the remaining lease term.

If the lease is registered - and most are in Nannerch - 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.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only 62 years left on my flat in Nannerch. I am keen to get lease extension but my landlord is absent. What are my options?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be extended by the Court. However, you will be required to prove that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to find the freeholder. On the whole a specialist should be useful to try and locate and prepare a report to be accepted by the court as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer in relation to proving the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court overseeing Nannerch.

I have just appointed agents to market my 2 bed flat in Nannerch.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a half-yearly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?

It best that you discharge the service charge 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to meet my requirements, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have since found out that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Nannerch. Conveyancing solicitors have not yet been instructed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Nannerch are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Nannerch in which case you should be looking for a Nannerch conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should advise you fully on all the issues.

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Nannerch from the point of view of expediting the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Nannerch can be avoided if you appoint lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information needed by the buyers solicitors.
• Many landlords or managing agents in Nannerch levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold homes. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management pack sought on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most common cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Nannerch.
• In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s consent? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Nannerch state that internal structural changes or laying down wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord consenting to such works. Should you dont have the approvals in place you should not contact the landlord without contacting your solicitor in the first instance.
• If you have had any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is very important that these are settled before the property is marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be nervous about purchasing a flat where there is a current dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to pay any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose particulars of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to reveal the dispute as historic rather than unresolved.
• If you are supposed to have a share in the Management Company, you should make sure that you hold the original share certificate. Obtaining a re-issued share certificate can be a time consuming process and slows down many a Nannerch conveyancing deal. If a reissued share certificate is necessary, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (where applicable) for this at the earliest opportunity.

I invested in buying a 2 bed flat in Nannerch, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Similar flats in Nannerch with a long lease are worth £246,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 levied per year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2102

With only 76 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £8,600 and £9,800 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed investigations. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.