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

If the lease is registered - and most are in Huyton - 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 am hoping to sign contracts shortly on a garden flat in Huyton. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they will have a report out to me next week. What should I be looking out for?

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

• Does the lease prevent you from subletting the flat, or having a home office for business

I today plan to offer on a house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have since found out that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Huyton. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Huyton ?

The majority of houses in Huyton are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Huyton so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Huyton conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the freeholder’sconsent to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your solicitor should advise you fully on all the issues.

Last month I purchased a leasehold house in Huyton. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

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 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).

All being well we will complete the disposal of our £175000 flat in Huyton in 5 days. The landlords agents has quoted £420 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Huyton?

Huyton conveyancing on leasehold apartments more often than not requires the purchaser’s lawyer submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer such questions most will be content to do so. They are entitled charge a reasonable administration fee for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some cases it is above £800. The administration charge required by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, without which the charge is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have little option but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to complete the sale of your home.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Huyton - Sample of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

You should want to find out as much as possible regarding the company managing the block as they will either make living at the property much easier or uncomfortable. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are often in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to every day issues such as the tidiness of the common parts. Don't be afraid to ask other people what they think of their management. On a final note, investigate as to the dates that the maintenance charges are due to the managing agents and precisely what you get for your money. Plenty Huyton leasehold properties will incur a service charge for maintenance of the block invoiced on behalf of the management company. Should you purchase the apartment you will have to meet this liability, normally periodically throughout the year. This can vary from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for bigger purpose-built buildings. There will also be a rentcharge to be met annual, normally this is not a large sum, say about £50-£100 but you need to enquire it because occasionally it could be surprisingly expensive. The answer will be helpful as a) areas can cause problems for the block as the communal areas may begin to deteriorate where maintenance are not paid for b) if the tenants have a dispute with the running of the building you will wish to have all the details

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Huyton