I want to sublet my leasehold flat in Crowthorne. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for their consent?

A small minority of properties in Crowthorne do contain a provision to say that subletting is only permitted with prior consent from the landlord. The landlord cannot unreasonably withhold but, in such cases, they would need to see 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 permission.

I have just appointed agents to market my garden flat in Crowthorne.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just received a yearly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should discharge the invoice 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 managing agents 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. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I am looking at a couple of maisonettes in Crowthorne which have about fifty years left on the lease term. should I be concerned?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a period of time. As a lease gets shorter the marketability of the lease deteriorate and it becomes more costly to extend the lease. For this reason it is often a good idea to increase the term of the lease. More often than not it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease because mortgage lenders may be reluctant to lend money on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We recommend you seek professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area

Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Crowthorne from the point of view of saving time on the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Crowthorne can be reduced where you get in touch lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to put together the leasehold information needed by the buyers representatives.
• The majority landlords or Management Companies in Crowthorne charge 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 reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most usual cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Crowthorne.

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 concerned about purchasing a flat where there is an ongoing dispute. You may have to bite the bullet and discharge any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. 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 clearly preferable to present the dispute as over as opposed to unresolved.

If you are supposed to have a share in the freehold, you should make sure that you have the original share certificate. Obtaining a new share certificate can be a time consuming process and slows down many a Crowthorne home move. Where a reissued share certificate is needed, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (where applicable) for this sooner rather than later.

You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to double-check via your conveyancers. A buyer’s lawyer will not be happy to advise their client to to exchange contracts if the remaining number of years is under 80 years. It is therefore essential at an early stage that you identify whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale.

We expect to complete the sale of our £125000 flat in Crowthorne next Wednesday . The managing agents has quoted £372 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Crowthorne?

Crowthorne conveyancing on leasehold apartments usually results in administration charges invoiced by freeholders :

• Completing pre-exchange enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Crowthorne
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your lawyer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Crowthorne leasehold property is £350. For Crowthorne conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are obliged to supply the information.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Crowthorne - Sample of Questions you should consider Prior to buying

This information is important as a) areas could result in problems in the block as the common areas may start to deteriorate where repairs remain unpaid b) if the leaseholders have a dispute with the running of the building you will need to have all the details How long is the Lease? Plenty Crowthorne leasehold properties will be liable to pay a service charge for the upkeep of the block invoiced by the landlord. If you buy the apartment you will have to meet this liability, normally quarterly during the year. This may vary from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large communal areas. There will also be a ground rent for you to pay annual, this is usually not a large sum, say around £50-£100 but you need to check as on occasion it could be many hundreds of pounds.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Crowthorne