I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Radcliffe. Before diving in I require certainty as to the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Radcliffe - 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’m about to sell my garden apartment in Radcliffe.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just had a half-yearly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

It best that you 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 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 own a leasehold house in Radcliffe. Conveyancing and Nationwide Building Society mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing solicitor in Radcliffe who acted for me is not around.Any advice?

First make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. You do not need to incur the fees of a Radcliffe conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I am attracted to a two flats in Radcliffe both have in the region of forty five years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?

There are plenty of short leases in Radcliffe. The lease is a right to use the property for a period of time. As a lease gets shorter the marketability of the lease decreases and results in it becoming more costly to acquire a lease extension. This is why it is often a good idea to extend the lease term. Sometimes it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage companies may be reluctant to lend money on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a protracted process. We advise that you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Radcliffe conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

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

• How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation?

Leasehold Conveyancing in Radcliffe - Examples of Questions you should consider before buying

The prefered form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this scenario the tenants enjoy control and notwithstanding that a managing agent is usually employed if the building is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants. Best to be warned if a new roof is being put on or some other significant cost is pending that will be shared between the leaseholders and will materially impact the level of the maintenance fees or result in a one time payment. How much is the ground rent and service charge?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Radcliffe