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

Assuming the lease is registered - and almost all are in Salford - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details 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 want to let out my leasehold apartment in Salford. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Is permission from the freeholder required?

The lease dictates relations between the freeholder and you the flat owner; specifically, it will indicate if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The rule is that if the lease contains no expres ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. Most leases in Salford do not prevent an absolute prevention of subletting – such a provision would undoubtedly devalue the flat. In most cases there is a basic requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a duplicate of the sublease.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to be perfect, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have just been informed that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Salford. Conveyancing solicitors have not yet been instructed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Salford are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Salford in which case you should be shopping around for a Salford conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the landlord’spermission to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your solicitor should appraise you on the various issues.

Last month I purchased a leasehold property in Salford. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee 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. It is an essential part 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 appointing a Salford conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Salford conveyancing practice) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you speak with several firms including non Salford conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be of use:

• If they are not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?

Salford Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

Is there a share of the freehold? In the main the outlay for major works tend not to be included within maintenance charges, albeit that some managing agents in Salford require leaseholders to pay into a sinking fund created for the specific purpose of establishing a fund for larger works. The answer will be useful as a) areas can cause problems in the building as the common areas may start to deteriorate where maintenance are not paid for b) if the leasehold owners have an issue with the running of the building you will need to have all the details

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Lease Extensions in Salford