Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly identified during conveyancing in Sefton?

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Sefton. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

Over the last few months I have been searching for a flat up to £305k and identified one round the corner in Sefton I like with amenity areas and transport links nearby, the downside is that it only has 49 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Sefton suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a short lease?

If you need a mortgage that many years will be an issue. Discount the offer by the amount the lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the current proprietor has owned the premises for a minimum of twenty four months you could ask them to start the process of the extension and then assign it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing lawyer about this matter.

Given that I am about to part with over three hundred thousand on a garden flat in Sefton I wish to have a conversation with the solicitor regarding theconveyancing in advance of appointing the firm. Is this something that you can arrange?

We could not agree more - we would be happy to talk to you we do not take any clients on without you liaising with the solicitor who will be carrying out your property ownership legalities in Sefton.There is no ‘factory style conveyancing’ - each client is an important individual, not a file reference. The solicitors that we put you in touch with believe that the figure you are quoted for your conveyancing in Sefton should be the amount on the final invoice that you end up paying.

As co-executor for the estate of my grandmother I am selling a property in Swansea but I am based in Sefton. My lawyer (who is 300 kilometers awayhas requested that I sign a statutory declaration prior to the transaction finalising. Could you suggest a conveyancing solicitor in Sefton who can attest this legal document for me?

Technically speaking you are unlikely to be required to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Normally or notary public or qualified solicitor will be fine regardless of whether they are Sefton based

Last May I purchased a leasehold flat in Sefton. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before 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. Strange as it may seem, 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).

Sefton Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Questions you should consider before buying

What is the name of the managing agents? Its a good idea to find out as much as possible regarding the company managing the block as they will either make your life much simpler or a lot more difficult. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to practical issues like the upkeep of the common parts. Enquire of other tenants what they think of them. In conclusion, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the managing agents and precisely how they are spending that money.