Due to exchange soon on a studio apartment in Shirehampton. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they will have a report out to me within the next couple of days. What should I be looking out for?

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

• You should receive a copy of the lease

I have just started marketing my basement flat in Shirehampton.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just had a half-yearly service charge demand – Do I pay up?

It best that you 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.

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have since found out that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Shirehampton. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Shirehampton ?

Most houses in Shirehampton are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Shirehampton so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Shirehampton conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the landlord’sconsent to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your solicitor will report to you on the legal implications.

I am a negotiator for a long established estate agency in Shirehampton where we have experienced a few leasehold sales derailed due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given conflicting advice from local Shirehampton conveyancing firms. Please can you shed some light as to whether the vendor of a flat can instigate the lease extension formalities for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

Provided that the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer can avoid having to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed prior to, or simultaneously with completion of the disposal of the property.

An alternative approach is to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Shirehampton what are the most common lease problems?

Leasehold conveyancing in Shirehampton is not unique. All leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain provisions are wrong. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• Repairing obligations to or maintain elements of the building
• 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

You may encounter a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. HSBC Bank, Coventry Building Society, and Clydesdale all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to provide security, obliging the purchaser to pull out.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Shirehampton - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

Please inform me if there are any major works anticipated that will increase the service charges? What is the yearly maintenance fee and ground rent? It is important to be aware if window replacement or some other significant cost is coming up that will be shared by the tenants and will materially impact the level of the service charges or require a one off invoice.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Shirehampton