I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Seascale and Sellafield. Before I get started I require certainty as to the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Seascale and Sellafield - 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 have recently realised that I have 68 years remaining on my flat in Seascale and Sellafield. I now want to get lease extension but my freeholder is absent. What should I do?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be extended by the magistrate. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you have done all that could be expected to locate the landlord. On the whole a specialist would be useful to try and locate and prepare an expert document to be used as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer in relation to proving the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court overseeing Seascale and Sellafield.

Planning to exchange soon on a studio apartment in Seascale and Sellafield. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they report fully 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 Seascale and Sellafield should include some of the following:

• You should be sent a copy of the lease

I have just started marketing my ground floor apartment in Seascale and Sellafield.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a yearly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is clear the invoice 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 until 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.

Last month I purchased a leasehold property in Seascale and Sellafield. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

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. Strange as it may seem, 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).

Seascale and Sellafield Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Questions you should consider Prior to Purchasing

The answer will be helpful as a) areas could result in problems for the building as the common areas may start to deteriorate if repairs remain unpaid b) if the leasehold owners have a dispute with the running of the building you will wish to know about it Its a good idea to find out as much as you can concerning the company managing the block as they will either make living at the property much simpler or problematic. Being a leasehold owner you are often at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to every day issues such as the cleanliness 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 specifically what you get for your money. For most Seascale and Sellafield leaseholds the cost for major works are not included within service charges, albeit that a few managing agents in Seascale and Sellafield ask leasehold owners to contribute towards a sinking fund created for the specific purpose of building a fund for larger repairs or maintenance.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Seascale and Sellafield