There are only Fifty years left on my lease in Robertsbridge. I am keen to extend my lease but my landlord is absent. What should I do?

If 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. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to find the freeholder. On the whole a specialist should be useful to conduct investigations and prepare an expert document to be used as evidence that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer in relation to proving the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court overseeing Robertsbridge.

I’m about to sell my garden flat in Robertsbridge.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just received a half-yearly maintenance charge demand – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

It best that you clear 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 be perfect, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have since been informed that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Robertsbridge. Conveyancing lawyers have are about to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Robertsbridge ?

The majority of houses in Robertsbridge are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Robertsbridge in which case you should be shopping around for a Robertsbridge conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the freeholder’spermission to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your lawyer will advise you fully on all the issues.

I am looking at a two flats in Robertsbridge which have about forty five years unexpired on the leases. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There are plenty of short leases in Robertsbridge. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease gets shorter the marketability of the lease decreases and results in it becoming more expensive to extend the lease. This is why it is generally wise to increase the term of the lease. It is often difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage lenders may be reluctant to lend money on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a protracted process. We recommend you get professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this area

What are your top tips when it comes to finding a Robertsbridge conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Robertsbridge conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you talk with several firms including non Robertsbridge conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be helpful:

• What volume of lease extensions have they conducted in Robertsbridge in the last twenty four months?

I invested in buying a split level flat in Robertsbridge, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Corresponding properties in Robertsbridge with over 90 years remaining are worth £258,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced annually. The lease ends on 21st October 2073

You have 50 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to range between £41,800 and £48,400 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Robertsbridge