Leasehold Conveyancing in Broadstairs - Get a Quote from the leasehold experts approved by your lender

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Any conveyancing solicitor can theoretically deal with your leasehold conveyancing in Broadstairs, your mortgage provider may not be willing to work with them if the firm are not on their list of approved solicitors for conveyancing

Frequently asked questions relating to Broadstairs leasehold conveyancing

My wife and I may need to rent out our Broadstairs garden flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Broadstairs conveyancing practice in 2002 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to get any guidance as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

Your lease dictates the relationship between the freeholder and you the flat owner; specifically, it will say if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is allowed. Most leases in Broadstairs do not contain an absolute prevention of subletting – such a clause would undoubtedly devalue the flat. In most cases there is simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a copy of the tenancy agreement.

Looking forward to exchange soon on a leasehold property in Broadstairs. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they will have a report out to me on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Broadstairs should include some of the following:

  • The length of the lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and informed of the importance of the 80 year mark
  • Does the lease prohibit wood flooring?
  • Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this will change in the future
  • You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
  • Repair and maintenance of the flat
  • 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
  • What options are open to you if a neighbour breach a clause of their lease? For details of the information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Broadstairs please ask your conveyancer in advance of your conveyancing in Broadstairs

    • Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my basement flat in Broadstairs.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just had a half-yearly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

    It best that you clear the service charge as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

    I've recently bought a leasehold property in Broadstairs. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

    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. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element 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).

    Can you offer any advice when it comes to finding a Broadstairs conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

    If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Broadstairs conveyancing practice) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you speak with two or three firms including non Broadstairs conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be helpful:

    • How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?
  • If they are not ALEP accredited then why not?

    • Broadstairs Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - A selection of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

      You should want to discover as much as possible concerning the company managing the block as they will either make your life much easier or problematic. Being a leasehold owner you will be at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to every day matters like the upkeep of the communal areas. Ask other people what they think of their management. Finally, be sure you discover the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the managing agents and specifically what it includes. For most Broadstairs leaseholds the outlay for major works tend not to be wrapped into the maintenance charges, albeit that there some managing agents in Broadstairs obliged tenants to contribute towards a reserve fund and this is used to offset against larger repairs or maintenance. Is there a share of the freehold?

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Broadstairs