I am hoping to sign contracts shortly on a basement flat in Salford. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they will have a report out to me within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Salford should include some of the following:

• Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have just discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Salford. Conveyancing solicitors have are about to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Salford are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Salford so you should seriously consider looking for a Salford conveyancing practitioner 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 tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the landlord’spermission to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your lawyer should report to you on the legal implications.

I am looking at a two maisonettes in Salford both have about fifty years remaining on the leases. Will this present a problem?

A lease is a right to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As a lease shortens the marketability of the lease reduces and it becomes more expensive to extend the lease. For this reason it is often a good idea to extend the lease term. It is often difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease because mortgage companies may be reluctant to lend money on such properties. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We advise that you get professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this arena

I've recently bought a leasehold property in Salford. Am I liable to pay 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 the frequently found deficiencies that you see in leases for Salford properties?

Leasehold conveyancing in Salford is not unique. Most leases are unique and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain clauses are erroneous. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

• A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the property
• Insurance obligations
• 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 will likely cause problems when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Birmingham Midshires, Norwich and Peterborough Building Society, and Alliance & Leicester all have very detailed requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is problematic they may refuse to provide security, obliging the buyer to withdraw.

Salford Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries before Purchasing

The answer will be useful as a) areas could cause problems in the block as the common areas may start to deteriorate where services remain unpaid b) if the tenants have an issue with the managing agents you will want to have complete disclosure Plenty Salford leasehold properties will be liable to pay a service charge for maintenance of the building set by the management company. Where you acquire the property you will have to meet this amount, usually periodically throughout the year. This can vary from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for bigger purpose-built buildings. There will also be a ground rent for you to pay annual, ordinarily this is not a large figure, say approximately £50-£100 but you need to check it because sometimes it could be surprisingly expensive. It would be wise to discover as much as possible concerning the company managing the block as they can either make your life much simpler or uncomfortable. 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 issues like the tidiness of the communal areas. Enquire of prospective neighbours what they think of them. On a final note, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and precisely what it includes.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Salford