Leasehold Conveyancing in Snaith - Get a Quote from the leasehold experts approved by your lender

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When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Snaith, you will need to appoint a conveyancing lawyer with leasehold experience. Whether your lender is to be Santander, Birmingham Midshires or NatWest make sure you find a lawyer on their panel. Feel free to use our search tool

Recently asked questions relating to Snaith leasehold conveyancing

I only have Fifty years remaining on my flat in Snaith. I am keen to extend my lease but my freeholder is missing. What should I do?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be lengthened by the magistrate. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you have done all that could be expected to find the lessor. On the whole a specialist should be helpful to carry out a search and to produce a report to be used as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor both on investigating the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court overseeing Snaith.

I have just appointed agents to market my 2 bed apartment in Snaith.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just received a yearly maintenance charge demand – what should I do?

It best that you pay 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.

What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Snaith conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Snaith conveyancing firm) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you make enquires with several firms including non Snaith conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be helpful:

  • If they are not ALEP accredited then why not?
  • Can they put you in touch with client in Snaith who can give a testimonial?

    • Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Snaith with the purpose of saving time on the sale process?

    • Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Snaith can be avoided if you instruct lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ conveyancers.
    • In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Snaith leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or laying down wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord consenting to such alterations. Where you fail to have the approvals in place you should not communicate with the landlord without checking with your solicitor first.
  • If there is a history of conflict with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved before the property is marketed. The buyers and their solicitors will be nervous about purchasing a flat where there is a current dispute. You may need to swallow your pride and discharge any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose particulars of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as historic rather than unsettled.
  • If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should ensure that you have the original share certificate. Arranging a re-issued share certificate can be a lengthy formality and slows down many a Snaith home move. Where a new share is required, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (where applicable) for this sooner rather than later.
  • You believe that you know the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be wise to verify this by asking your lawyers. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to where the lease term is less than 75 years. In the circumstances it is essential at an early stage that you identify whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.

    • Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on our sale of a £200000 apartment in Snaith on Thursday in a week. The management company has quoted £348 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Snaith?

    Snaith conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes usually requires the buyer’s solicitor sending questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be content to do so. They are entitled charge a reasonable administration fee for responding to 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 administration charge invoiced by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in relation to administration charges, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that one has no choice but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to complete the sale of your home.

    I bought a garden flat in Snaith, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Snaith with a long lease are worth £239,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 invoiced every year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2083

    With just 58 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to range between £25,700 and £29,600 plus professional fees.

    The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to provide the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Snaith