Planning to sign contracts shortly on a studio apartment in Skelmersdale. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they are sending me a report within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• The length of the lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease ends, and informed of the importance of not letting the lease term falling below eighty years
• Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat?
• Does the lease prevent you from renting out the flat, or working from home
• Changes to the flat (alterations and additions)
• The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide.
• Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice?
• What you can do if a neighbour breach a clause of their lease?

I’m about to sell my 2 bed flat in Skelmersdale.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just received a half-yearly service charge demand – what should I do?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should clear 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 managing agents 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I work for a busy estate agency in Skelmersdale where we have experienced a number of flat sales jeopardised due to short leases. I have received contradictory information from local Skelmersdale conveyancing firms. Please can you shed some light as to whether the vendor of a flat can initiate the lease extension formalities for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer need not have to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or at the same time as completion of the sale.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord 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 purchaser.

Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Skelmersdale with the intention of saving time on the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Skelmersdale can be avoided if you appoint lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers lawyers.
• Many landlords or Management Companies in Skelmersdale charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold homes. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management pack sought on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most usual reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Skelmersdale.
• In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Skelmersdale leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring necessitate a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such works. Should you fail to have the approvals in place you should not contact the landlord without contacting your lawyer in the first instance.
• A minority of Skelmersdale leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, you should place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their solicitors.
• If you have the benefit of shareholding in the Management Company, you should make sure that you are holding the original share document. Organising a re-issued share certificate is often a time consuming process and delays many a Skelmersdale conveyancing deal. If a new share is necessary, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (if relevant) for this as soon as possible.

Completion in due on our sale of a £ 300000 maisonette in Skelmersdale in just under a week. The freeholder has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Skelmersdale?

Skelmersdale conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes normally requires the buyer’s conveyancer sending enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address these enquiries most will be willing to do so. They are entitled invoice a reasonable administration fee for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some situations it is above £800. The management information fee demanded by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration fees, without which the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality one has little option but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to complete the sale of your home.

Skelmersdale Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries before buying

What is the annual service fee and ground rent? Are there any major works in the near future that will add a premium to the maintenance fees?