I have recently realised that I have Fifty years remaining on my lease in Solihull. I need to get lease extension but my landlord is absent. What should I do?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be extended by the Court. You will be obliged to prove that you have used your best endeavours to find the landlord. For most situations an enquiry agent would be helpful to conduct investigations and prepare an expert document to be accepted by the court as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer in relation to proving the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Solihull.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to meet my requirements, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have just discovered that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Solihull. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Solihull ?

Most houses in Solihull are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Solihull in which case you should be shopping around for a Solihull conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the landlord’spermission to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your conveyancer will appraise you on the various issues.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two maisonettes in Solihull both have about fifty years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?

There are plenty of short leases in Solihull. The lease is a right to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As the lease shortens the value of the lease deteriorate and results in it becoming more expensive to acquire a lease extension. For this reason it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We advise that you seek professional assistance from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this field

Can you offer any advice when it comes to finding a Solihull conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Solihull conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you make enquires with several firms including non Solihull conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be of use:

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

If all goes to plan we aim to complete our sale of a £175000 apartment in Solihull in seven days. The managing agents has quoted £336 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Solihull?

Solihull conveyancing on leasehold flats usually involves the purchaser’s conveyancer sending enquiries for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to respond to these enquiries most will be content to do so. They are at liberty invoice a reasonable charge for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some transactions it is in excess of £800. The management information fee demanded by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in respect of administration charges, otherwise the charge is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have no choice but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to exchange contracts with the buyer.

I acquired a leasehold flat in Solihull, conveyancing having been completed in 1995. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Corresponding flats in Solihull with an extended lease are worth £248,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 per annum. The lease finishes on 21st October 2095

With just 70 years unexpired the likely cost is going to range between £12,400 and £14,200 plus costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

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Lease Extensions in Solihull