Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Yarm. Before I get started I require certainty as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and 99.9% are in Yarm - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details 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 own a leasehold house in Yarm. Conveyancing and Clydesdale mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1996. The conveyancing practitioner in Yarm who previously acted has now retired.Any advice?

The first thing you should do is contact the Land Registry 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 incur the fees of a Yarm conveyancing lawyer to do this as it can be done on-line for a few pound. 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 flat in Yarm. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee 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 be sure 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 offer any advice when it comes to finding a Yarm conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Yarm conveyancing firm) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you speak with two or three firms including non Yarm conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be of use:

• What volume of lease extensions have they carried out in Yarm in the last 12 months?

Can they put you in touch with client in Yarm who can give a testimonial?

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the disposal of our £350000 maisonette in Yarm on Tuesday in a week. The landlords agents has quoted £408 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Yarm?

Yarm conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes ordinarily involves fees being levied by managing agents :

• Completing conveyancing due diligence questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Yarm
• Copies of the building insurance and schedule
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your lawyer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Yarm leasehold property is £350. For Yarm conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to supply the information.

Yarm Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

The best form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this arrangement the leaseholders benefit from being in charge if their destiny and although a managing agent is frequently retained where it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves. Is anyone aware of any major works in the planning that will add a premium to the maintenance charges? The answer will be helpful as a) areas can result in problems for the block as the communal areas may begin to deteriorate if services remain unpaid b) if the leasehold owners have an issue with the managing agents you will wish to have all the details

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Yarm