Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Rochford:

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While any conveyancing solicitor can theoretically deal with your leasehold conveyancing in Rochford, your mortgage provider may not be willing to work with them if the firm are not on their list of approved solicitors for conveyancing

Examples of recent questions relating to leasehold conveyancing in Rochford

I have recently realised that I have 62 years remaining on my lease in Rochford. I am keen to extend my lease but my freeholder is missing. What options are available to me?

If 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 granted an extra 90 years by the Court. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to track down the lessor. For most situations a specialist would be useful to conduct investigations and to produce an expert document to be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer in relation to proving the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Rochford.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have just been informed that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Rochford. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Rochford ?

Most houses in Rochford are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are buying in Rochford in which case you should be shopping around for a Rochford conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to dealing with 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 to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the landlord’spermission to carry out alterations. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor should appraise you on the various issues.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of maisonettes in Rochford which have about 50 years left on the lease term. should I be concerned?

There are plenty of short leases in Rochford. The lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a period of time. As the lease shortens the value of the lease deteriorate and it becomes more expensive to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a protracted process. We advise that you get professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this arena

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

When appointing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Rochford conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you speak with several firms including non Rochford conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be useful:

  • How many lease extensions have they conducted in Rochford in the last year?
  • What are the charges for lease extension work?

    • Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Rochford with the intention of saving time on the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Rochford can be avoided where you instruct lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers representatives.
    • The majority landlords or Management Companies in Rochford levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should discover the fee that they propose to charge. The management information sought as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Rochford.
  • Some Rochford leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers put in hand financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are able to meet the annual 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 purchasers or their lawyers.
  • If you have had any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is very important that these are resolved before the property is marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where there is a current dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to 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 will still have to reveal particulars of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as over as opposed to unsettled.
  • If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should ensure that you have the original share certificate. Arranging a new share certificate is often a lengthy process and delays many a Rochford conveyancing transaction. Where a reissued share is required, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (where relevant) for this as soon as possible.

    • Leasehold Conveyancing in Rochford - Examples of Queries before Purchasing

      Its a good idea to find out as much as possible about the managing agents as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you are often in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to every day matters like the upkeep of the common parts. Enquire of other tenants what they think of their service. Finally, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and precisely what it includes. Be sure to enquire if the the lease contains any onerous restrictions in the lease. By way of example some leases prohibit pets being permitted in in a block in Rochford. If you love the flatin Rochford but your dog is not allowed to move with you then you will be presented with a difficult compromise. How many years remain on the lease?

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Rochford