Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Sneyd Park:

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Leasehold conveyancing in Sneyd Park is more complex than freehold. Your home move will be smoother where you choose a lawyer with a wealth of experience of leasehold conveyancing in Sneyd Park and across next step up in loc. The lawyers we recommend have been approved by your lender so use our search tool to check.

Sneyd Park leasehold conveyancing: Q and A’s

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only Sixty One years unexpired on my flat in Sneyd Park. I am keen to get lease extension but my landlord is missing. 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. You will be obliged to prove that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to find the lessor. For most situations an enquiry agent may be helpful to conduct investigations and prepare an expert document which can be used as proof that the freeholder can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a conveyancer both on investigating the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Sneyd Park.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Sneyd Park. Conveyancing and Clydesdale mortgage went though with no issue. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1998. The conveyancing solicitor in Sneyd Park who acted for me is not around.What should I do?

The first thing you should do is make enquiries of HMLR to make sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to incur the fees of a Sneyd Park conveyancing firm 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 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

Last month I purchased a leasehold flat in Sneyd Park. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before my ownership?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee 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. A critical element 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).

Can you offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Sneyd Park conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Sneyd Park conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you make enquires with several firms including non Sneyd Park conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be useful:

  • If the firm is not ALEP accredited then why not?
  • How many lease extensions has the firm conducted in Sneyd Park in the last 12 months?

    • Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Sneyd Park from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?

    • Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Sneyd Park can be bypassed where you get in touch lawyers the minute your agents start advertising the property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers lawyers.
    • The majority freeholders or managing agents in Sneyd Park levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold homes. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the actual amount of the charges. The management information can be applied for 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 delay in leasehold conveyancing in Sneyd Park.
  • In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Sneyd Park state that internal structural alterations or addition of wooden flooring necessitate a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such works. Where you dont have the approvals in place do not communicate with the landlord without checking with your solicitor in advance.
  • If you have had conflict with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are settled prior to the flat being marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where there is an ongoing dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to pay any arrears of service charge or resolve 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 will still have to reveal details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to present the dispute as over rather than ongoing.
  • If you are supposed to have a share in the Management Company, you should make sure that you have the original share document. Organising a replacement share certificate can be a time consuming formality and slows down many a Sneyd Park home move. Where a new share certificate is needed, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (where relevant) for this at the earliest opportunity.

    • Leasehold Conveyancing in Sneyd Park - Examples of Questions you should consider before buying

      Are any of leasehold owners in dispute over their service charge payments? Is anyone aware of any major works in the planning that will increase the maintenance fees? Who manages the building?

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Sneyd Park