I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Rhuddlan. Before diving in I want to be sure as to the remaining lease term.

If the lease is registered - and almost all are in Rhuddlan - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details 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 am hoping to exchange soon on a studio apartment in Rhuddlan. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they are sending me a report on Monday. What should I be looking out for?

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

• Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat?

I have just appointed agents to market my ground floor apartment in Rhuddlan.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just received a half-yearly service charge demand – what should I do?

It best that you 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 hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently found out that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Rhuddlan. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Rhuddlan ?

The majority of houses in Rhuddlan are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Rhuddlan so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Rhuddlan conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the landlord’sconsent to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your lawyer will advise you fully on all the issues.

I am a negotiator for a busy estate agency in Rhuddlan where we have witnessed a number of leasehold sales jeopardised due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have received contradictory information from local Rhuddlan conveyancing solicitors. Can you confirm whether the vendor of a flat can start the lease extension formalities for the buyer?

As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer can avoid having to wait 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or at the same time as completion of the disposal of the property.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord 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.

Rhuddlan Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Queries before buying

The majority of Rhuddlan leasehold flats will incur a service charge for the upkeep of the building levied by the freeholder. Should you buy the property you will have to meet this amount, normally in instalments throughout the year. This may be anything from several hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built buildings. In all probability there will be a ground rent to be met annual, ordinarily this is not a exorbitant figure, say about £25-£75 but you need to enquire as on occasion it could be prohibitively expensive. Who takes responsibility for maintaining and repairing the building? Are any of leasehold owners in dispute over their service charge liability?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Rhuddlan