Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Calcot:

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Calcot leasehold conveyancing: Q and A’s

I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Calcot. Before diving in I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and almost all are in Calcot - 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.

My partner and I may need to sub-let our Calcot garden flat for a while due to a new job. We instructed a Calcot conveyancing practice in 2002 but they have closed and we did not think at the time get any advice as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

A small minority of properties in Calcot do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord cannot unreasonably withhold but, in such cases, they would need to review references. Experience suggests that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting permission.

Due to sign contracts shortly on a studio apartment in Calcot. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they report fully next week. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Calcot should include some of the following:

  • You must be told what counts as a Nuisance in the lease
  • Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this will change in the future
  • 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
  • Changes to the flat (alterations and additions)
  • I don't know whether the lease allows me to alter or improve anything in the flat - you should know whether it applies to all alterations or just structural alteration, and whether consent is required
  • 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.
  • The landlord’s obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building For details of the information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Calcot please enquire of your solicitor in advance of your conveyancing in Calcot

    • My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Calcot. Conveyancing and Godiva Mortgages Ltd mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing solicitor in Calcot who previously acted has now retired.What should I do?

    The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that this person is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to incur the fees of a Calcot conveyancing solicitor 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 rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

    What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Calcot conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

    When appointing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Calcot conveyancing firm) it is essential 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 Calcot 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:

    • If they are not ALEP accredited then why not?
  • What volume of lease extensions have they conducted in Calcot in the last year?

    • Leasehold Conveyancing in Calcot - A selection of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

      For many Calcot leaseholds the outlay for major works tend not to be built into the service charges, albeit that a few managing agents in Calcot require leaseholders to contribute towards a sinking fund and this is used to offset against major works. The best form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this scenario the lessees have being in charge if their destiny and even though a managing agent is frequently retained where the building is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves. Many Calcot leasehold properties will be liable to pay a service bill for the upkeep of the block levied on behalf of the freeholder. Should you acquire the apartment you will have to meet this contribution, usually periodically throughout the year. This can be anything from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large common grounds. There will also be a rentcharge to be met annual, ordinarily this is not a significant sum, say approximately £50-£100 but you need to enquire it because sometimes it can be many hundreds of pounds.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Calcot