Is there a reason why leasehold purchase conveyancing in Cardiff is more expensive?

In summary, leasehold conveyancing in Cardiff and elsewhere usually necessitates additional hours of investigation compared to freehold conveyancing. This includes lease investigation, corresponding with the landlord about the service of appropriate notices, obtaining current service charge and management information, securing the landlord’s consents and reviewing management accounts. The obligations on both the landlord and the tenant in the lease need to be studied by the buyer’s conveyancing team and read from beginning to end – regardless of the fact the lease has passed through many different property solicitors hands since it was first granted.

Do commercial conveyancing searches reveal impending roadworks that may impact a commercial estate in Cardiff?

Many commercial conveyancing solicitors in Cardiff will execute a SiteSolutions Highways report as it dramatically cuts the time that conveyancers spend in researching accurate data on highways that impact buildings and development assets in Cardiff. The report sets out definitive information on the adoption status of roads, footpaths and verges, as well as the implication of traffic schemes and the rights of way surrounding a commercial development sites in Cardiff.

For every commercial conveyancing transaction in Cardiff it is crucial to investigate the adoption status of roads surrounding a site. The absence of identifying developments where adoption procedures have not been dealt with adequately could cause delays to Cardiff commercial conveyancing deals as well as pose a risk to future plans for the site. These searches are not ordered for domestic conveyancing in Cardiff.

I used Action Conveyancing a few years ago for my conveyancing in Cardiff. Now, I need the documents however cannot find the solicitor. What do I do?

You should contact the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) to assist in tracing your conveyancing files. They can be contacted on please contact on 0870 606 2555. Alternatively, you should use their online form to make an enquiry. You will need to provide the SRA with as much information as possible to assist their search, including the name and address in Cardiff of the conveyancing firm of solicitors you previously retained, the name of conveyancing solicitor with whom you had dealings, and the date on which you last had dealings with the firm.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold element on a house I put an offer in last month in what was supposed to be a straight forward, no chain conveyancing. Cardiff is the location of the property. Is there any guidance you can give?

Flying freeholds in Cardiff are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Cardiff you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds very carefully. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Cardiff may determine that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

Helen (my wife) and I may need to sub-let our Cardiff garden flat for a while due to a career opportunity. We used a Cardiff conveyancing firm in 2001 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to get any advice as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

A lease dictates relations between the landlord and you the leaseholder; in particular, it will set out if subletting is not allowed, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The rule is that if the lease contains no expres ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. Most leases in Cardiff do not prevent subletting altogether – such a clause would undoubtedly devalue the property. Instead, there is usually simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a duplicate of the sublease.

I am the registered owner of a 1st floor flat in Cardiff, conveyancing having been completed 9 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Cardiff with over 90 years remaining are worth £206,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2090

With just 66 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £11,400 and £13,200 as well as professional fees.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.