Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Clifton:

Get a Quote

Leasehold conveyancing in Clifton is more complex than freehold. Your home move will be smoother where you choose a lawyer with a wealth of experience of leasehold conveyancing in Clifton and next step up in loc. The lawyers we recommend have been approved by your lender so use our search tool to check.

Recently asked questions relating to Clifton leasehold conveyancing

I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Clifton. Before diving in I would like to find out the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and almost all are in Clifton - 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.

Planning to complete next month on a basement flat in Clifton. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they will have a report out to me within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

  • You should be sent a copy of the lease
  • Setting out your rights in relation to common areas in the building.By way of example, does the lease contain a right of way over an accessway or staircase?
  • Will you be prohibited or prevented from having pets in the property?
  • You must be told what constitutes a Nuisance in the lease
  • You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
  • Responsibility for repairing the window frames
  • What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease? For details of the information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Clifton please ask your lawyer in advance of your conveyancing in Clifton

    • Back In 2009, I bought a leasehold flat in Clifton. Conveyancing and Bank of Scotland mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1992. The conveyancing practitioner in Clifton who previously acted has now retired.Do I pay?

    The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to be sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. There is no need to incur the fees of a Clifton conveyancing lawyer to do this as it can be done on-line for £3. You should note that regardless, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

    What are your top tips when it comes to finding a Clifton conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

    When appointing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Clifton conveyancing firm) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you speak with several firms including non Clifton conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be of use:

    • If the firm is not ALEP accredited then why not?
  • Can they put you in touch with client in Clifton who can give a testimonial?

    • Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Clifton with the aim of speeding up the sale process?

    • Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Clifton can be avoided where you get in touch lawyers as soon as your agents start advertising the property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the purchasers’ representatives.
    • Many landlords or managing agents in Clifton levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold homes. You or your lawyers should discover the fee that they propose to charge. The management information sought on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most usual cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Clifton.
  • If you have carried out any alterations to the premises would they have required Landlord’s consent? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Clifton state that internal structural changes or addition of wooden flooring calls for a licence issued by the Landlord approving such changes. Where you dont have the consents in place do not contact the landlord without checking with your conveyancer first.
  • A minority of Clifton leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this is the case, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet 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 service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers.
  • If there is a history of any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is very important that these are settled before the property is put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where a dispute is ongoing. You may need to swallow your pride and discharge 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 are still duty bound to disclose particulars of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as over as opposed to unresolved.

    • Leasehold Conveyancing in Clifton - Examples of Questions you should consider Prior to buying

      Are any of leasehold owners in arrears of their service charge liability? Plenty Clifton leasehold flats will be liable to pay a service bill for the upkeep of the building levied on behalf of the landlord. Should you purchase the flat you will have to meet this liability, normally in instalments throughout the year. This may differ from a couple of hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for blocks with lifts and large common areas. There will also be a ground rent to be met annual, normally this is not a significant amount, say approximately £25-£75 but you need to check it because occasionally it can be prohibitively expensive. In the main the cost for major works are not incorporated into the service charges, albeit that a few managing agents in Clifton ask leasehold owners to pay into a reserve fund created for the specific purpose of establishing a fund for larger repairs or maintenance.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Clifton