I only have 68 years left on my flat in Poulton Le Fylde. I am keen to get lease extension but my freeholder is can not be found. 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 mean that your lease can be lengthened by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you have done all that could be expected to track down the landlord. In some cases an enquiry agent would be useful to conduct investigations and to produce an expert document which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor in relation to investigating the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court covering Poulton Le Fylde.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have since discovered that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Poulton Le Fylde. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Poulton Le Fylde are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Poulton Le Fylde so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Poulton Le Fylde conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the freeholder’spermission to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor will advise you fully on all the issues.

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Poulton Le Fylde with the purpose of speeding up the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Poulton Le Fylde can be avoided if you appoint lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the purchasers’ solicitors.
• If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s consent? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Poulton Le Fylde state that internal structural alterations or addition of wooden flooring require a licence issued by the Landlord acquiescing to such changes. Where you fail to have the consents in place do not communicate with the landlord without checking with your lawyer first.

Completion in due on the sale of our £125000 garden flat in Poulton Le Fylde in just under a week. The freeholder has quoted £324 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Poulton Le Fylde?

Poulton Le Fylde conveyancing on leasehold apartments more often than not necessitates the purchaser’s conveyancer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address such questions the majority will be content to do so. They are at liberty charge a reasonable charge for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some cases it exceeds £800. The management information fee demanded by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration fees, otherwise the charge is not strictly payable. In reality you have no choice but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

What are the common problems that you come across in leases for Poulton Le Fylde properties?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Poulton Le Fylde. Most leases are unique and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain provisions are wrong. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

• A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the premises
• Insurance obligations
• A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

A defective lease will likely cause issues when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. National Westminster Bank, The Mortgage Works, and Barclays Direct all have very detailed requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is problematic they may refuse to provide security, obliging the purchaser to withdraw.

Poulton Le Fylde Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

It would be wise to find out as much as you can about the company managing the block as they will either make life much easier or problematic. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you will be at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to every day matters such as the tidiness of the communal areas. Enquire of other tenants if they are happy with them. In conclusion, find out the dates that the service charges are due to the managing agents and specifically what it includes. In the main the outlay for major works are not included within maintenance charges, albeit that a few managing agents in Poulton Le Fylde require tenants to pay into a reserve fund and this is used to offset against major works. This information is helpful as a) areas can result in problems for the building as the communal areas may begin to deteriorate where services remain unpaid b) if the leaseholders have a dispute with the running of the building you will need to have all the details

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Poulton Le Fylde