Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Meliden. Before I get started I want to be sure as to the remaining lease term.

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and almost all are in Meliden - 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 have recently realised that I have Sixty One years remaining on my flat in Meliden. I am keen to extend my lease but my landlord is absent. What are my options?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be extended by the magistrate. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you have done all that could be expected to find the freeholder. On the whole an enquiry agent may be helpful to conduct investigations and prepare a report which can be used as proof that the freeholder can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer in relation to proving the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Meliden.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to be perfect, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently been informed that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Meliden. Conveyancing solicitors have not yet been appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Meliden ?

The majority of houses in Meliden 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. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Meliden so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Meliden conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your solicitor should appraise you on the various issues.

We expect to complete the disposal of our £275000 apartment in Meliden in 8 days. The landlords agents has quoted £312 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Meliden?

Meliden conveyancing on leasehold flats normally involves administration charges raised by management companies :

• Addressing pre-exchange enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Meliden
• 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 conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Meliden leasehold property is £350. For Meliden 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 obliged to provide the information.

When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Meliden what are the most common lease defects?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Meliden. Most leases are unique and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain sections are not included. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

• Repairing obligations to or maintain parts of the building
• Insurance obligations
• A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

You will have difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. National Westminster Bank, The Mortgage Works, and Aldermore all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is problematic they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the purchaser to pull out.

Meliden Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

This information is useful as a) areas may cause problems for the building as the common areas may begin to deteriorate if repairs remain unpaid b) if the tenants have a dispute with the managing agents you will wish to know about it The prefered form of lease arrangement is a share of the freehold. In this situation the tenants have being in charge if their destiny and notwithstanding that a managing agent is usually retained where the building is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent acts for the leaseholders themselves. Are there any major works in the near future that could add a premium to the service costs?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Meliden