Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Roath Park. Before I set the wheels in motion I would like to find out the remaining lease term.

If the lease is registered - and most are in Roath Park - 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 basement apartment in Roath Park.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just received a yearly maintenance charge demand – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

The sensible thing to do is pay the service charge 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 managing agents 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 today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have since found out that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Roath Park. Conveyancing advisers have not yet been instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Roath Park are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Roath Park in which case you should be shopping around for a Roath Park conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your lawyer should report to you on the legal implications.

I am attracted to a two maisonettes in Roath Park both have about fifty years unexpired on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There are plenty of short leases in Roath Park. The lease is a right to use the property for a period of time. As a lease gets shorter the value of the lease deteriorate and results in it becoming more costly to extend the lease. This is why it is advisable to increase the term of the lease. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies may be unwilling to lend money on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We recommend you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area

If all goes to plan we aim to complete our sale of a £475000 apartment in Roath Park in just under a week. The management company has quoted £312 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Roath Park?

Roath Park conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes nine out of ten times results in administration charges raised by management companies :

• Completing pre-contract questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Roath Park
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Roath Park leasehold property is £350. For Roath Park conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are obliged to supply the information.

Roath Park Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

The best form of lease structure is if the freehold interest is owned by the leaseholders. In this scenario the lessees benefit from control and even though a managing agent is usually retained if the building is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves. Is the freehold owned collectively by the tenants? How much is the ground rent and service charge?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Roath Park