Due to sign contracts shortly on a garden flat in Shefford. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they report fully on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Shefford should include some of the following:

• Does the lease prevent you from letting out the property, or working from home

You need to be told what counts as a Nuisance in the lease

An explanation as to the provision in the lease to pay service charges - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has

Whether your lease has a provision for a reserve fund?

Repair and maintenance of the flat

Changes to the flat (alterations and additions)

The landlord’s obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Shefford please ask your lawyer in ahead of your conveyancing in Shefford

I own a leasehold flat in Shefford. Conveyancing and TSB mortgage went though with no issue. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1992. The conveyancing solicitor in Shefford who acted for me is not around.Any advice?

The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to instruct a Shefford conveyancing solicitor to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

What are your top tips when it comes to finding a Shefford conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Shefford conveyancing practice) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggested that you speak with several firms including non Shefford conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be useful:

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

Can they put you in touch with client in Shefford who can give a testimonial?

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the sale of our £150000 maisonette in Shefford on Wednesday in a week. The management company has quoted £348 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Shefford?

For most leasehold sales in Shefford conveyancing will involve, queries regarding the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

• Completing conveyancing due diligence questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Shefford
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Shefford leasehold premises is £350. For Shefford conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are obliged to supply answers.

What makes a Shefford lease problematic?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Shefford. All leases are unique and drafting errors can result in certain provisions are erroneous. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

• A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the premises
• Insurance obligations
• Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
• Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall

A defective lease can cause issues when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Halifax, Leeds Building Society, and Godiva Mortgages Ltd all have very detailed requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to provide security, forcing the purchaser to pull out.

Shefford Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

How is the lease structured? It would be prudent to find out as much as you can about the company managing the building as they will either make your life much simpler or problematic. As the owner of a leasehold property you will be in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to daily matters such as the cleanliness of the communal areas. Enquire of prospective neighbours whether they are happy with them. Finally, be sure you know the dates that the service fees are due to the managing agents and specifically how they are spending that money. Generally speaking the outlay for major works tend not to be incorporated into the maintenance charges, albeit that there some managing agents in Shefford ask leasehold owners to pay into a sinking fund and this is used to offset against larger repairs or maintenance.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Shefford