I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Southend On Sea. Before diving in I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.

If the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in Southend On Sea - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title.For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

I own a leasehold house in Southend On Sea. Conveyancing and Clydesdale mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1996. The conveyancing solicitor in Southend On Sea who previously acted has long since retired.Do I pay?

First contact the Land Registry to make sure that this person is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to incur the fees of a Southend On Sea conveyancing firm to do this as it can be done on-line for a few pound. You should note that in any event, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to finding a Southend On Sea conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Southend On Sea conveyancing practice) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you speak with two or three firms including non Southend On Sea 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:

• If they are not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?
• Can they put you in touch with client in Southend On Sea who can give a testimonial?

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Southend On Sea from the perspective of saving time on the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Southend On Sea can be avoided where you appoint lawyers the minute your agents start advertising the property and ask them to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers conveyancers.
• Many freeholders or managing agents in Southend On Sea charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should find out the actual amount of the charges. The management information sought on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most common cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Southend On Sea.
• In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s consent? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Southend On Sea state that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring necessitate a licence from the Landlord consenting to such alterations. Should you dont have the approvals to hand do not contact the landlord without contacting your lawyer before hand.
• If there is a history of any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved prior to the flat being put on the market. 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 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 purchasers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as over rather than unsettled.
• If you are supposed to have a share in the Management Company, you should ensure that you are holding the original share certificate. Obtaining a re-issued share certificate can be a time consuming process and frustrates many a Southend On Sea home move. Where a duplicate share is required, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (if relevant) for this as soon as possible.

In relation to leasehold conveyancing in Southend On Sea what are the most frequent lease defects?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Southend On Sea. Most leases are unique and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain sections are not included. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the building
• A duty to insure the building
• 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 have 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. Santander, Coventry Building Society, and Clydesdale all have express conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to provide security, obliging the buyer to pull out.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Southend On Sea - Examples of Questions you should ask before buying

Where a Southend On Sea lease has fewer than eighty years it will impact the marketability of the apartment. It is worth checking with your mortgage company that they are happy with the length of the lease. A short lease means that you will probably require a lease extension sooner rather than later and it is worth discovering how much this will be. Remember, in most cases you will be be obliged to have owned the premises for two years before you are eligible to extend the lease.