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When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Whaley Bridge, you will need to appoint a conveyancing lawyer with leasehold experience. Whether your lender is to be Clydesdale , RBS or Bradford & Bingley make sure you find a lawyer on their panel. Find a Whaley Bridge conveyancing lawyer with our search tool

Frequently asked questions relating to Whaley Bridge leasehold conveyancing

Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Whaley Bridge. Before I get started I want to be sure as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

If the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in Whaley Bridge - 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've found a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable price which is making it all the more appealing. I have just been informed that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Whaley Bridge. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Whaley Bridge 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. We note that you are buying in Whaley Bridge so you should seriously consider looking for a Whaley Bridge conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should report to you on the legal implications.

I own a leasehold flat in Whaley Bridge. Conveyancing and Platform Home Loans Ltd mortgage went though with no issue. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the freehold. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1995. The conveyancing solicitor in Whaley Bridge who previously acted has now retired.Any advice?

First contact HMLR to be sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to instruct a Whaley Bridge conveyancing firm to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

Last month I purchased a leasehold property in Whaley Bridge. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before my ownership?

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. 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 advice for leasehold conveyancing in Whaley Bridge from the perspective of saving time on the sale process?

  • Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Whaley Bridge can be reduced if you appoint lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ lawyers.
  • Many landlords or managing agents in Whaley Bridge charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management pack can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most usual cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Whaley Bridge.
  • If you have carried out any alterations to the property would they have required Landlord’s consent? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Whaley Bridge state that internal structural changes or addition of wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord approving such alterations. If you fail to have the approvals to hand do not communicate with the landlord without contacting your solicitor first.
  • Some Whaley Bridge leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers obtain bank and professional references. The bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are able to meet the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their lawyers.
  • You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to double-check by asking your conveyancers. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the remaining number of years is less than 75 years. In the circumstances it is essential at an early stage that you consider whether the lease term for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale.

    • I bought a split level flat in Whaley Bridge, conveyancing having been completed in 1998. How much will my lease extension cost? Similar properties in Whaley Bridge with a long lease are worth £254,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2074

    With just 52 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £35,200 and £40,600 as well as legals.

    The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before getting professional advice.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Whaley Bridge