I have recently realised that I have Fifty years unexpired on my flat in Scunthorpe. I now wish to get lease extension but my landlord is missing. What should I do?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, 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 enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the magistrate. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to track down the freeholder. On the whole an enquiry agent should be helpful to carry out a search and prepare a report to be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer both on devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Scunthorpe.

I’m about to sell my garden apartment in Scunthorpe.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just had a quarterly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should discharge the service charge as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to meet my requirements, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have just found out that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Scunthorpe. Conveyancing solicitors have not yet been instructed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Scunthorpe are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Scunthorpe so you should seriously consider looking for a Scunthorpe conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your solicitor will advise you fully on all the issues.

I've recently bought a leasehold house in Scunthorpe. 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 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. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure 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).

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the sale of our £125000 garden flat in Scunthorpe next Tuesday . The management company has quoted £312 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Scunthorpe?

Scunthorpe conveyancing on leasehold flats usually requires the buyer’s lawyer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to respond to such questions the majority will be content to do so. They are entitled charge a reasonable administration fee for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some transactions it is in excess of £800. The management information fee levied by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, without which the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality one has little choice but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to exchange contracts with the buyer.

I am the registered owner of a 2 bed flat in Scunthorpe, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Similar properties in Scunthorpe with an extended lease are worth £172,000. The ground rent is £45 charged once a year. The lease ends on 21st October 2098

With 73 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £11,400 and £13,200 plus legals.

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 without more comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

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Lease Extensions in Scunthorpe