Leasehold Conveyancing in Castleton and Blacktown - Get a Quote from the leasehold experts approved by your lender

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While any conveyancing solicitor can theoretically deal with your leasehold conveyancing in Castleton and Blacktown, your mortgage provider may unwilling to work with them if the firm are not on their list of approved solicitors for conveyancing

Frequently asked questions relating to Castleton and Blacktown leasehold conveyancing

I would like to sublet my leasehold apartment in Castleton and Blacktown. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask her. Do I need to ask my freeholder for their consent?

The lease dictates relations between the freeholder and you the flat owner; in particular, it will set out if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no expres ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. Most leases in Castleton and Blacktown do not prevent an absolute prevention of subletting – such a clause would adversely affect the market value the flat. Instead, there is usually simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a copy of the sublease.

Planning to sign contracts shortly on a basement flat in Castleton and Blacktown. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they are sending me a report next week. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Castleton and Blacktown should include some of the following:

  • Setting out your legal entitlements in respect of the communal areas in the building.E.G., does the lease contain a right of way over an accessway or staircase?
  • Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat?
  • Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this will change in the future
  • Repair and maintenance of the flat
  • Changes to the flat (alterations and additions)
  • 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 is in violation of a provision in their lease? For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Castleton and Blacktown please enquire of your conveyancer in advance of your conveyancing in Castleton and Blacktown

    • What are your top tips when it comes to choosing a Castleton and Blacktown conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

    If you are instructing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Castleton and Blacktown conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you make enquires with several firms including non Castleton and Blacktown conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be useful:

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

    • Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Castleton and Blacktown from the point of view of saving time on the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Castleton and Blacktown can be avoided where you get in touch lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the purchasers’ representatives.
    • Many freeholders or Management Companies in Castleton and Blacktown levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the fee that they propose to charge. The management pack can be applied for on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Castleton and Blacktown.
  • A minority of Castleton and Blacktown leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers put in hand financial (bank) and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is financially capable of paying the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their solicitors.
  • If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should make sure that you have the original share document. Organising a new share certificate is often a time consuming formality and frustrates many a Castleton and Blacktown conveyancing transaction. If a duplicate share certificate is required, do contact the company officers or managing agents (where relevant) for this at the earliest opportunity.
  • You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to double-check via your solicitors. A purchaser's conveyancer will not be happy to advise their client to where the lease term is less than 75 years. It is therefore essential at an early stage that you consider whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale.

    • Completion in due on the disposal of our £300000 maisonette in Castleton and Blacktown in just under a week. The freeholder has quoted £336 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Castleton and Blacktown?

    Castleton and Blacktown conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes normally involves the purchaser’s conveyancer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address these enquiries the majority will be content to do so. They are at liberty invoice a reasonable administration fee for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some transactions it is in excess of £800. The administration charge levied by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration fees, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. In reality one has little option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to sell the property.

    I am the registered owner of a garden flat in Castleton and Blacktown, conveyancing was carried out 2006. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Equivalent properties in Castleton and Blacktown with over 90 years remaining are worth £186,000. The ground rent is £65 invoiced every year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2084

    With 58 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to span between £22,800 and £26,400 plus costs.

    The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Castleton and Blacktown