I only have Seventy years left on my flat in Newark. I am keen to extend my lease but my freeholder 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 an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be extended by the magistrate. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to track down the freeholder. On the whole an enquiry agent should be helpful to conduct investigations and to produce a report to be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer both on investigating the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court overseeing Newark.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to be perfect, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have just discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Newark. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Newark ?

Most houses in Newark are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Newark in which case you should be shopping around for a Newark conveyancing practitioner and check that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your solicitor should report to you on the legal implications.

I own a leasehold flat in Newark. Conveyancing and Birmingham Midshires mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing practitioner in Newark who previously acted has long since retired.Any advice?

The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to make sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. It is not necessary to instruct a Newark conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. You should note 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.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Newark conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Newark conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you speak with several firms including non Newark conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be of use:

• How familiar is the firm with lease extension legislation?

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

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the sale of our £500000 garden flat in Newark on Friday in a week. The freeholder has quoted £300 for Certificate of Compliance, 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 Newark?

Newark conveyancing on leasehold apartments usually necessitates administration charges invoiced by management companies :

• Completing pre-contract questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Newark
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Newark leasehold property is £350. For Newark 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 supply the information.

Newark Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Queries Prior to buying

It is important to be aware if redecorating or some other significant cost is anticipated to be shared by the leasehold owners and could well materially impact the level of the maintenance charges or require a one time payment. Please tell me if there are any major works in the planning that could increase the maintenance costs? It would be sensible to find out as much as you can concerning the managing agents as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you are often in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to practical issues like the upkeep of the common parts. You should not be shy to ask prospective neighbours if they are happy with them. On a final note, investigate as to the dates that the maintenance fees are due to the managing agents and specifically what it includes.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Newark