Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Ramsey:

Get a Quote

When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Ramsey, you will need to chose a conveyancing lawyer with leasehold experience. Whether your mortgage company is to be Santander, RBS or NatWest make sure you choose a lawyer on their approved list. Find a Ramsey conveyancing lawyer with our search tool

Sample questions relating to Ramsey leasehold conveyancing

I have recently realised that I have 68 years remaining on my lease in Ramsey. I am keen to extend my lease but my freeholder is absent. What options are available to me?

On the basis that 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 prove that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to track down the lessor. On the whole an enquiry agent should be helpful to carry out a search and prepare a report to be used as proof that the freeholder can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a conveyancer in relation to devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Ramsey.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since discovered that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Ramsey. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Ramsey are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Ramsey so you should seriously consider looking for a Ramsey conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to transacting on 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 will likely included provisions such as obtaining the landlord’sconsent to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your solicitor should report to you on the legal implications.

I am attracted to a couple of apartments in Ramsey which have about forty five years left on the lease term. Do I need to be concerned?

There are plenty of short leases in Ramsey. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a period of time. As a lease shortens the saleability of the lease reduces 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 difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage companies may be reluctant to lend money on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We advise that you seek professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area

I work for a long established estate agent office in Ramsey where we have experienced a number of flat sales put at risk due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given conflicting advice from local Ramsey conveyancing firms. Please can you confirm whether the seller of a flat can instigate the lease extension formalities for the buyer?

Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer need not have to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or at the same time as completion of the disposal of the property.

Alternatively, it may be possible to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Ramsey from the perspective of saving time on the sale process?

  • Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Ramsey can be avoided where you get in touch lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers conveyancers.
  • The majority landlords or Management Companies in Ramsey charge for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should find out the fee that they propose to charge. The management information sought on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most common reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Ramsey.
  • If you have carried out any alterations to the property would they have required Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Ramsey leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or laying down wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord approving such alterations. If you fail to have the consents to hand you should not communicate with the landlord without contacting your solicitor in advance.
  • If you have had conflict with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are settled before the property is put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where a dispute is ongoing. You may have to bite the bullet and pay any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as historic rather than unsettled.
  • If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should make sure that you are holding the original share document. Arranging a replacement share certificate can be a lengthy formality and frustrates many a Ramsey conveyancing transaction. If a reissued share certificate is required, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (where relevant) for this at the earliest opportunity.

    • Leasehold Conveyancing in Ramsey - A selection of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

      Who takes charge for maintaining and repairing the block? Please inform me if there are any major works anticipated that will increase the maintenance charges? On the whole the outlay for major works are not included within maintenance charges, although some managing agents in Ramsey ask leaseholders to contribute towards a sinking fund and this is used to offset against major works.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Ramsey