I only have 68 years left on my lease in Paignton. I now wish to extend my lease but my landlord is can not be found. What are my options?

On the basis that 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 enable the lease to be extended by the Court. However, you will be required to prove that you have done all that could be expected to find the lessor. On the whole an enquiry agent may be helpful to try and locate and prepare an expert document to be used as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer both on investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Paignton.

Due to exchange soon on a basement flat in Paignton. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they will have a report out to me next week. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Paignton should include some of the following:

• The physical extent of the property. This will be the property itself but may incorporate a loft or cellar if applicable.
• Setting out your legal entitlements in relation to common areas in the block.For example, does the lease include a right of way over an accessway or hallways?
• Do you need to have carpet in the flat or are you allowed wood flooring?
• Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat?
• Whether your lease has a provision for a reserve fund?
• The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide.
• Responsibility for repairing the window frames

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my basement flat in Paignton.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just had a quarterly service charge demand – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

The sensible thing to do is 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 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Paignton. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Paignton are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Paignton so you should seriously consider looking for a Paignton conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the property is part of an estate. Your lawyer will report to you on the legal implications.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of maisonettes in Paignton which have approximately 50 years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?

A lease is a right to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As a lease shortens the marketability of the lease decreases and it becomes more costly to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is advisable to extend the lease term. Sometimes it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease because mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We advise that you get professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this arena

Paignton Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries before Purchasing

How much is the ground rent and service charge? Who are the managing agents?