There are only 62 years unexpired on my lease in Sandhurst. I need to extend my lease but my freeholder is can not be found. 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 extended by the Court. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have used your best endeavours to locate the landlord. On the whole an enquiry agent would be helpful to try and locate and prepare a report which can be used as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a property lawyer in relation to devolving into the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court covering Sandhurst.

I've found a house that appears to be perfect, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since been informed that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Sandhurst. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Sandhurst are freehold rather than 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 apparent that you are purchasing in Sandhurst so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Sandhurst 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 tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the freeholder’sconsent to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your solicitor should advise you fully on all the issues.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to choosing a Sandhurst conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Sandhurst conveyancing practice) 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 Sandhurst conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be useful:

• What volume of lease extensions has the firm carried out in Sandhurst in the last twenty four months?

Completion in due on the disposal of our £450000 flat in Sandhurst on Thursday in a week. The managing agents has quoted £312 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Sandhurst?

Sandhurst conveyancing on leasehold flats more often than not involves the purchaser’s conveyancer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer such questions most will be content to do so. They are at liberty invoice a reasonable charge for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some situations it is in excess of £800. The management information fee invoiced by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of rights and obligations in respect of administration fees, otherwise the charge is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that one has little option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to sell the property.

What makes a Sandhurst lease unacceptable for security purposes?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Sandhurst. All leases is drafted differently and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain provisions are not included. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• Repairing obligations to or maintain elements of the premises
• Insurance obligations
• A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

You may encounter difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. HSBC Bank, Virgin Money, and Clydesdale all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is problematic they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the buyer to withdraw.

I invested in buying a basement flat in Sandhurst, conveyancing was carried out in 2004. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Similar properties in Sandhurst with over 90 years remaining are worth £182,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £60 per annum. The lease runs out on 21st October 2086

With 61 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £21,900 and £25,200 plus professional fees.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Sandhurst