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Recently asked questions relating to Ringwood leasehold conveyancing

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

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Ringwood - 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 only have 68 years unexpired on my lease in Ringwood. I now want to get lease extension but my freeholder is absent. What should I do?

On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, 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 lengthened by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to find the lessor. For most situations a specialist should be useful to carry out a search and to produce a report to be used as proof that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a solicitor in relation to proving the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court overseeing Ringwood.

Back In 2007, I bought a leasehold flat in Ringwood. Conveyancing and Virgin Money mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1991. The conveyancing solicitor in Ringwood who acted for me is not around.What should I do?

The first thing you should do is contact the Land Registry to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to incur the fees of a Ringwood 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 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Ringwood conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Ringwood conveyancing practice) it is most important that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you speak with several firms including non Ringwood conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be useful:

  • If they are not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?
  • What volume of lease extensions has the firm completed in Ringwood in the last 12 months?

    • Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Ringwood from the point of view of saving time on the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Ringwood can be avoided where you instruct lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the purchasers’ solicitors.
    • Many landlords or managing agents in Ringwood charge for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the fee that they propose to charge. The management pack sought on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most frequent reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Ringwood.
  • In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s permission? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Ringwood leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or addition of wooden flooring calls for a licence issued by the Landlord approving such changes. If you dont have the consents to hand you should not contact the landlord without checking with your solicitor before hand.
  • A minority of Ringwood leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, it would be prudent to notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers put in hand bank and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is financially capable of paying the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers.
  • If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should make sure that you are holding the original share document. Organising a duplicate share certificate is often a lengthy process and delays many a Ringwood home move. Where a duplicate share is required, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (if applicable) for this sooner rather than later.

    • Ringwood Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries Prior to Purchasing

      Can you inform me if there are any major works in the planning that will add a premium to the maintenance fees? The prefered form of lease arrangement is a share of the freehold. In this arrangement the lessees benefit from being in charge if their destiny and although a managing agent is frequently retained if it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants. Where a Ringwood lease has less than 80 years it will impact the salability of the property. Check with your bank that they are happy with remaining years on the lease. A short lease means that you will almost definitely have to extend the lease at some point and it is worth finding out how much this would cost. Remember, in most cases you would be be obliged to have been the owner of the property for two years in order to be entitled to extend the lease.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Ringwood