Brampton leasehold conveyancing: Q and A’s
My wife and I may need to sub-let our Brampton ground floor flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We instructed a Brampton conveyancing practice in 2004 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time seek any advice as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?
A small minority of properties in Brampton do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord cannot unreasonably withhold but, in such cases, they would need to see references. Experience suggests that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting permission.
Looking forward to complete next month on a studio apartment in Brampton. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they will have a report out to me next week. What should I be looking out for?
Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Brampton should include some of the following:
- Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord
I work for a busy estate agency in Brampton where we have witnessed a number of leasehold sales put at risk as a result of short leases. I have been given contradictory information from local Brampton conveyancing solicitors. Please can you confirm whether the vendor of a flat can commence the lease extension formalities for the purchaser on completion of the sale?
As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the proposed purchaser need not have 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 simultaneously with 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 purchaser.
Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Brampton from the point of view of expediting the sale process?
- A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Brampton can be reduced if you appoint lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold documentation needed by the purchasers’ conveyancers.
- If you have carried out any alterations to the property would they have required Landlord’s consent? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Brampton state that internal structural changes or laying down wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such works. If you fail to have the consents in place you should not communicate with the landlord without contacting your conveyancer in advance.
What are the frequently found deficiencies that you see in leases for Brampton properties?
There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Brampton. All leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain provisions 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
- Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
- Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall
A defective lease will likely cause problems when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. HSBC Bank, Virgin Money, and Nottingham Building Society all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is defective they may refuse to provide security, forcing the buyer to pull out.
Brampton Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Questions you should consider before buying
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Are any of leasehold owners in dispute over their service charge liability?
What prohibitions are there in the Brampton Lease?
Who manages the block?
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