I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Altrincham. Before I get started I would like to find out the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and almost all are in Altrincham - 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 would like to sublet my leasehold flat in Altrincham. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for permission?

Even though your last Altrincham conveyancing lawyer is no longer available you can review your lease to see if you are permitted to let out the premises. The rule is that if the lease is silent, subletting is permitted. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you need to obtain consent via your landlord or some other party prior to subletting. The net result is you not allowed to sublet in the absence of prior consent. Such consent is not allowed to be unreasonably withheld. If the lease does not allow you to sublet you will need to ask your landlord if they are willing to waive this restriction.

I have just started marketing my ground floor flat in Altrincham.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just received a half-yearly maintenance charge demand – what should I do?

The sensible thing to do is discharge the service charge as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great price which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Altrincham. Conveyancing lawyers have are about to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Altrincham are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Altrincham so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Altrincham conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your solicitor will advise you fully on all the issues.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to choosing a Altrincham conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Altrincham conveyancing firm) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Altrincham conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be helpful:

• How many lease extensions have they carried out in Altrincham in the last year?

Altrincham Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries before Purchasing

Please note if it is less than eighty years it will have adverse implications on the marketability of the apartment. It is worth checking with your lender that they are content with the length of the lease. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining means that you will most likely require a lease extension sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of how much this would cost. Remember, in most cases you will be be obliged to have owned the residence for a couple of years before you are entitled to exercise a lease extension. Is anyone aware of any major works on the horizon that will increase the service fees? Generally speaking the cost for major works tend not to be built into the service charges, although there some managing agents in Altrincham require leasehold owners to contribute towards a reserve fund and this is used to offset against major works.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Altrincham