Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Sacriston. Before diving in I require certainty as to the remaining lease term.

If the lease is registered - and almost all are in Sacriston - 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 am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to be perfect, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Sacriston. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Sacriston ?

The majority of houses in Sacriston 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 apparent that you are buying in Sacriston in which case you should be shopping around for a Sacriston conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor will advise you fully on all the issues.

I've recently bought a leasehold house in Sacriston. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before my ownership?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

What are your top tips when it comes to finding a Sacriston conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Sacriston conveyancing practice) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you speak with several firms including non Sacriston 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:

• How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• What are the legal fees for lease extension work?

What makes a Sacriston lease problematic?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Sacriston. Most leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain provisions are missing. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

• A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the premises
• A duty to insure the building
• Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

A defective lease can cause issues when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. National Westminster Bank, Virgin Money, and Clydesdale all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the buyer to withdraw.

Sacriston Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should consider before buying

It would be prudent to find out as much as possible concerning the company managing the building as they will impact your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you will be at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to daily matters like the tidiness of the communal areas. Enquire of other tenants whether they are happy with them. Finally, find out the dates that the maintenance charges are due to the managing agents and precisely what you get for your money. Where a Sacriston lease has less than 80 years it will impact the value of the apartment. It is worth checking with your bank that they are willing to to proceed given the lease term. Leases with less than 80 years remaining means that you will probably have to extend the lease sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of how much this will be. Remember, in most cases you will be required to have owned the premises for two years in order to be legally able to extend the lease. Is the freehold owned collectively by the tenants?