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

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While any conveyancing solicitor can theoretically handle your leasehold conveyancing in Sturminster Newton, your mortgage provider may unwilling to work with them if the firm are not on their list of approved solicitors for conveyancing

Recently asked questions relating to Sturminster Newton leasehold conveyancing

There are only Sixty One years left on my flat in Sturminster Newton. I now want to get lease extension but my freeholder is missing. What are my options?

On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, 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 mean that your lease can be lengthened by the Court. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to locate the freeholder. On the whole an enquiry agent should be helpful to conduct investigations and to produce a report which can be used as evidence that the freeholder can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a property lawyer in relation to investigating the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court covering Sturminster Newton.

I’m about to sell my basement flat in Sturminster Newton.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just received a yearly maintenance charge demand – what should I do?

The sensible thing to do is discharge the invoice 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 management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless 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've found a house that appears to meet my requirements, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have just discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Sturminster Newton. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Sturminster Newton ?

The majority of houses in Sturminster Newton are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Sturminster Newton so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Sturminster Newton conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the freeholder’spermission to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your solicitor will report to you on the legal implications.

I've recently bought a leasehold house in Sturminster Newton. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before my ownership?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part 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 provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Sturminster Newton with the aim of speeding up the sale process?

  • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Sturminster Newton can be bypassed where you instruct lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers solicitors.
  • If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Sturminster Newton state that internal structural alterations or addition of wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord consenting to such changes. If you dont have the approvals in place do not communicate with the landlord without contacting your conveyancer before hand.
  • If you have had any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is very important that these are resolved before the property is 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 settle the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal particulars of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to present the dispute as historic as opposed to ongoing.
  • If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should make sure that you hold the original share certificate. Arranging a re-issued share certificate is often a lengthy formality and slows down many a Sturminster Newton home move. If a duplicate share certificate is needed, do contact the company officers or managing agents (where applicable) for this at the earliest opportunity.
  • You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but you should verify this by asking your lawyers. A buyer’s conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to where the remaining number of years is below 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.

    • Sturminster Newton Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries before Purchasing

      The prefered form of lease structure is if the freehold reversion is in the ownership of the leaseholders. In this scenario the tenants benefit from control and notwithstanding that a managing agent is often employed where the building is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent is directed by the tenants. Are there any major works anticipated that could add a premium to the service fees? Many Sturminster Newton leasehold flats will incur a service charge for the upkeep of the building invoiced on behalf of the management company. Where you purchase the flat you will have to meet this charge, usually periodically during the year. This may vary from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large communal areas. There will also be a ground rent for you to pay yearly, this is usually not a exorbitant figure, say around £50-£100 but you need to enquire as sometimes it can be surprisingly expensive.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Sturminster Newton