I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Ormskirk. Before I get started I require certainty as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and most are in Ormskirk - 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.

I have just appointed agents to market my ground floor flat in Ormskirk.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a quarterly service charge demand – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should pay 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 management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until 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.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of apartments in Ormskirk both have in the region of 50 years left on the lease term. Do I need to be concerned?

A lease is a right to use the property for a period of time. As the lease shortens the value of the lease decreases and it becomes more expensive to extend the lease. This is why it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a protracted process. We advise that you get professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field

What are your top tips when it comes to appointing a Ormskirk conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Ormskirk conveyancing practice) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you speak with several firms including non Ormskirk conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be of use:

• How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• Can they put you in touch with client in Ormskirk who can give a testimonial?

Completion in due on our sale of a £ 150000 maisonette in Ormskirk next week. The landlords agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Ormskirk?

Ormskirk conveyancing on leasehold flats normally necessitates the buyer’s solicitor submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address these enquiries the majority will be willing to do so. They are at liberty charge a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some transactions it is above £800. The administration charge required by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration charges, otherwise the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality one has no option but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to sell the property.

I own a garden flat in Ormskirk, conveyancing having been completed 1996. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Corresponding properties in Ormskirk with an extended lease are worth £211,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 invoiced every year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2094

With 68 years unexpired the likely cost is going to range between £9,500 and £11,000 plus costs.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to provide a more accurate figure without more detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.