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

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When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Catton, you will need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor with leasehold experience. Whether your lender is to be Halifax, RBS or NatWest make sure you choose a lawyer on their approved list. Find a Catton conveyancing lawyer with our search tool

Examples of recent questions relating to leasehold conveyancing in Catton

Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Catton. Before I set the wheels in motion I want to be sure as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and almost all are in Catton - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title.For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

I am intending to rent out my leasehold flat in Catton. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Is permission from the freeholder required?

A small minority of properties in Catton do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord cannot unreasonably refuse but, in such cases, they would need to review references. Experience dictates 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 consent.

Expecting to exchange soon on a garden flat in Catton. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they are sending me a report on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

  • The unexpired lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease ends, and informed of the importance of the 80 year mark
  • Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord
  • Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat?
  • You must be told what counts as a Nuisance in the lease
  • An explanation as to the provision in the lease to pay service charges - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has
  • Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice?
  • Responsibility for repairing the window frames For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Catton please ask your lawyer in advance of your conveyancing in Catton

    • Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Catton from the perspective of speeding up the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Catton can be reduced if you get in touch lawyers the minute you market your property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation needed by the purchasers’ representatives.
    • If you have carried out any alterations to the property would they have required Landlord’s permission? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Catton leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or installing wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord approving such alterations. If you fail to have the consents to hand do not contact the landlord without checking with your lawyer in advance.
  • A minority of Catton leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers put in hand financial (bank) and professional references. Any bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are financially capable of paying the yearly 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 actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers.
  • If you have had any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved before the property is marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be nervous about purchasing a flat where there is a current dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to pay any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to present the dispute as historic as opposed to ongoing.
  • If you are supposed to have a share in the Management Company, you should ensure that you are holding the original share certificate. Obtaining a re-issued share certificate is often a time consuming formality and delays many a Catton conveyancing deal. If a reissued share is needed, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (where applicable) for this sooner rather than later.

    • What makes a Catton lease unacceptable for security purposes?

    Leasehold conveyancing in Catton is not unique. Most leases are unique and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain clauses are missing. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

    • Repairing obligations to or maintain elements of the property
    • A duty to insure the building
    • A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
    • Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

    You may have a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. National Westminster Bank, The Mortgage Works, and Platform Home Loans Ltd all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to provide security, forcing the purchaser to pull out.

    Leasehold Conveyancing in Catton - Examples of Queries Prior to buying

      The answer will be important as a) areas could cause problems for the block as the common areas may begin to deteriorate if repairs are not paid for b) if the leasehold owners have an issue with the managing agents you will wish to know about it On the whole the outlay for major works are not incorporated into the service charges, although some managing agents in Catton require leasehold owners to pay into a sinking fund created for the specific intention of building a fund for larger works. Its a good idea to discover as much as you can concerning the company managing the block as they will either make life much easier or much more difficult. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are often at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to practical issues such as the tidiness of the common parts. Ask prospective neighbours what they think of them. Finally, find out the dates that the service fees are due to the relevant party and specifically what it includes.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Catton