Looking forward to sign contracts shortly on a basement flat in Werrington. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they will have a report out to me within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Werrington should include some of the following:

• The physical extent of the demise. This will be the flat itself but could also include a roof space or cellar if appropriate.

Does the lease prevent you from renting out the flat, or having a home office for business

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 is subject to change

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 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

Responsibility for repairing the window frames For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Werrington please enquire of your solicitor in ahead of your conveyancing in Werrington

I've found a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great price which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Werrington. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Werrington ?

Most houses in Werrington 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 Werrington so you should seriously consider looking for a Werrington conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to transacting on 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 with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the freeholder’sconsent to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your lawyer will appraise you on the various issues.

I work for a busy estate agency in Werrington where we see a few leasehold sales derailed due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given conflicting advice from local Werrington conveyancing solicitors. Could you clarify whether the vendor of a flat can start the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

As long as the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser can avoid having to wait 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done before, or at the same time as completion of the sale.

An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

What are your top tips when it comes to appointing a Werrington conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Werrington conveyancing practice) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you make enquires with several firms including non Werrington conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be of use:

• How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?

If the firm is not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the disposal of our £150000 apartment in Werrington in nine days. The freeholder has quoted £324 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Werrington?

For most leasehold sales in Werrington conveyancing will involve, queries regarding the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

• Completing conveyancing due diligence enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Werrington
• 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 Werrington leasehold premises is £350. For Werrington 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 provide answers.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Werrington - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

The answer will be helpful as a) areas can cause problems in the block as the common areas may start to deteriorate where repairs remain unpaid b) if the leasehold owners have an issue with the running of the building you will need to know about it Be sure to find out if there are any onerous restrictions in the lease. By way of example plenty of leases prohibit pets being allowed in in a block in Werrington. If you love the propertyin Werrington but your cat is not allowed to live with you then you have a very hard compromise. It would be wise to discover as much as you can about the company managing the block as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. As the owner of a leasehold property you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to practical matters such as the cleanliness of the communal areas. Enquire of prospective neighbours what they think of them. Finally, be sure you understand the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and precisely what you get for your money.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Werrington