Guaranteed fixed fees for Leasehold Conveyancing in Whitley Bay

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Common questions relating to Whitley Bay leasehold conveyancing

Looking forward to sign contracts shortly on a leasehold property in Whitley Bay. Conveyancing lawyers 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 Whitley Bay should include some of the following:

  • You should receive a copy of the lease
  • Do you need to have carpet in the flat or are you allowed wood flooring?
  • Will you be prohibited or prevented from having pets in the property?
  • Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this is subject to change
  • An explanation as to the provision in the lease to pay service charges - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has
  • The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide.
  • Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your premises and do you know what it means in practice? For details of the information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Whitley Bay please enquire of your solicitor in ahead of your conveyancing in Whitley Bay

    • I've found a house that appears to be perfect, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since discovered that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a leasehold house in Whitley Bay. Conveyancing solicitors have not yet been instructed. Will they explain the issues?

    The majority of houses in Whitley Bay are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Whitley Bay so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Whitley Bay conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the freeholder’spermission to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is part of an estate. Your lawyer should advise you fully on all the issues.

    My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Whitley Bay. Conveyancing and Barclays Direct mortgage went though with no issue. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1992. The conveyancing solicitor in Whitley Bay who previously acted has long since retired.What should I do?

    The first thing you should do is make enquiries of HMLR to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. There is no need to incur the fees of a Whitley Bay conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

    Last month I purchased a leasehold property in Whitley Bay. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

    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. 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).

    What are your top tips when it comes to finding a Whitley Bay conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

    When appointing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Whitley Bay conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Whitley Bay conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be of use:

    • How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?
  • If they are not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?

    • Leasehold Conveyancing in Whitley Bay - Sample of Queries Prior to Purchasing

      The best form of lease structure is if the freehold interest is owned by the leaseholders. In this scenario the leaseholders have control and even though a managing agent is usually employed if it is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent retained by the leaseholders. How much is the yearly maintenance fee and ground rent? Are any of leasehold owners in dispute over their service charge liability?

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Whitley Bay