Long leasehold sale where f/r is unregistered

[House seller]

Hi - can any body help?

Trying to sell house with 900 year lease (V low ground rent) - have had the lease for almost years - no problem but buyers solictors insisting that the freehold is registred (current classed as 'good leasehold title' by Land Registry) person we pay ground rent to is longterm ill in hosptial - our solictor says its not legally necessary and offered for us to pay for Good Leasehold Indemity Policy in the event that we cannot prove registred freehold title - but buyers solictors have little experience of dealing with leasehold and are advising clients not to proceed - help!!!!

[jeffrey]

Hi - can any body help?

Trying to sell house with 900 year lease (V low ground rent) - have had the lease for almost years - no problem but buyers solictors insisting that the freehold is registred (current classed as 'good leasehold title' by Land Registry) person we pay ground rent to is longterm ill in hosptial - our solictor says its not legally necessary and offered for us to pay for Good Leasehold Indemity Policy in the event that we cannot prove registred freehold title - but buyers solictors have little experience of dealing with leasehold and are advising clients not to proceed - help!!!!

Good leasehold is entirely OK. Even Council of Mortgage Lenders agrees.
Do your leasehold deeds not contain any details of freehold? Look for large (A3 or so) document labelled "Abstract of Title" or "Epitome of Title"; that will adequately prove freehold ownership.

Purchaser's solicitors should not do conveyancing unless they know how! If they think that they need help from an adult, tell them to contact me direct (jss@netheredgelaw.co.uk) or give me their name/address/DX/reference by private message.

[Richard Webster]

I agree with Jeffrey - it is a load of silly nonsense. At worst a Good Leasehold Indemnity Policy is needed, and Jeffrey would argue (with some jsutification) that that wasn't really needed.

Where are the buyer's solrs? They must live a very sheltered life!

There are thousands of similar long leasehold houses all over towns and cities in the North and there are pockets in other areas such as mine (Southampton/Eastleigh). I get silly questions about this kind of thing from solrs 20 miles down the road in Portsmouth where they don't see them!

I have a file in front of me at the moment dealing with a very similar case to yours in Southampton and the buyer's solrs (a large factory type firm in Southport) have asked me about management companies and service charges!

As a conveyancing solicitor I believe the information given in the post to be useful but I accept no liability except to fee-paying clients.