I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Tilehurst. Before diving in I require certainty as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

If the lease is registered - and almost all are in Tilehurst - 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.

Looking forward to sign contracts shortly on a ground floor flat in Tilehurst. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they report fully on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Tilehurst should include some of the following:

• You should be sent a copy of the lease

I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to meet my requirements, at a great price which is making it all the more appealing. I have since been informed that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Tilehurst. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Tilehurst ?

The majority of houses in Tilehurst are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Tilehurst so you should seriously consider looking for a Tilehurst conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the landlord’spermission to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your lawyer will appraise you on the various issues.

Completion in due on our sale of a £150000 apartment in Tilehurst on Friday in a week. The management company has quoted £384 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Tilehurst?

Tilehurst conveyancing on leasehold flats usually requires the purchaser’s solicitor sending enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to respond to such questions most will be willing to do so. They are at liberty invoice a reasonable charge for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some transactions 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 charge is technically not due. Reality however dictates that one has no choice but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to sell the property.

When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Tilehurst what are the most common lease problems?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Tilehurst. Most leases are unique and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain sections are wrong. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

• A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the premises
• Insurance obligations
• A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

A defective lease can cause issues when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. HSBC Bank, Chelsea Building Society, and Bank of Ireland all have very detailed requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the purchaser to withdraw.

Tilehurst Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should consider before buying

The majority of Tilehurst leasehold properties will have a service bill for maintenance of the block invoiced on behalf of the management company. Should you acquire the property you will have to meet this charge, normally periodically during the year. This could vary from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for bigger purpose-built buildings. In all likelihood there will be a ground rent to be met annual, ordinarily this is not a exorbitant figure, say around £25-£75 but you need to enquire as sometimes it could be many hundreds of pounds. How much is the service charge and ground rent on the flat? This information is helpful as a) areas can cause problems in the building as the communal areas may begin to deteriorate where maintenance remain unpaid b) if the tenants have a dispute with the managing agents you will want to have complete disclosure

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Tilehurst