I today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently found out that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Trowbridge Estate. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Trowbridge Estate are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Trowbridge Estate so you should seriously consider looking for a Trowbridge Estate conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the landlord’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your conveyancer will advise you fully on all the issues.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Trowbridge Estate. Conveyancing and National Westminster Bank mortgage are in place. I have received a letter 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 Trowbridge Estate who previously acted has long since retired.Any advice?

The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to make sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is indeed the new freeholder. There is no need to instruct a Trowbridge Estate conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

I've recently bought a leasehold property in Trowbridge Estate. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

In a situation 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. 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).

What advice can you give us when it comes to finding a Trowbridge Estate conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Trowbridge Estate conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We suggested that you talk with several firms including non Trowbridge Estate conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be useful:

• How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation?

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the disposal of our £350000 flat in Trowbridge Estate next week. The landlords agents has quoted £420 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Trowbridge Estate?

Trowbridge Estate conveyancing on leasehold flats more often than not requires the buyer’s conveyancer sending questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to respond to these enquiries the majority will be content to do so. They may invoice a reasonable charge for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some cases it is in excess of £800. The administration charge invoiced by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of rights and obligations in relation to administration fees, otherwise the charge is technically not due. In reality one has little option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to complete the sale of your home.

Trowbridge Estate Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

The best form of lease arrangement is if the freehold title is owned by the leaseholders. In this situation the lessees enjoy being in charge if their destiny and even though a managing agent is usually employed if it is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves. It would be a good idea to investigate if the the lease includes any onerous restrictions in the lease. For instance it is fairly common in Trowbridge Estate leases that pets are not allowed in certain buildings in Trowbridge Estate. If you love the flatin Trowbridge Estate but your dog is not allowed to make the move with you then you will be faced hard determination. You should be aware if it is fewer than eighty years it will impact the marketability of the apartment. Check with your bank that they are content with the length of the lease. A short lease means that you will most likely need a lease extension at some point and you need to have some idea of how much this would cost. For most Trowbridge Estatelease extensions you will need to own the property for 24 months in order to be eligible to exercise a lease extension.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Trowbridge Estate