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

Get a Quote

Whether you are buying or selling leasehold flat in Flackwell Heath, our panel of leasehold conveyancing experts will help you move with as little stress as possible. Find a Flackwell Heath conveyancing lawyer with our search tool

Recently asked questions relating to Flackwell Heath leasehold conveyancing

I would like to sublet my leasehold flat in Flackwell Heath. 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; specifically, it will indicate if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The rule is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. The majority of leases in Flackwell Heath do not prevent subletting altogether – such a provision would undoubtedly devalue the property. In most cases there is a basic requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a duplicate of the sublease.

I’m about to sell my basement apartment in Flackwell Heath.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just received a half-yearly service charge invoice – what should I do?

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 managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer until 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.

Last month I purchased a leasehold house in Flackwell Heath. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before my ownership?

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).

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Flackwell Heath conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Flackwell Heath conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you talk with several firms including non Flackwell Heath conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be helpful:

  • If they are not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?
  • Can they put you in touch with client in Flackwell Heath who can give a testimonial?

    • Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Flackwell Heath from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Flackwell Heath can be reduced where you instruct lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ conveyancers.
    • If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Flackwell Heath leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or laying down wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such alterations. If you fail to have the consents in place do not contact the landlord without contacting your solicitor in the first instance.
  • Some Flackwell Heath leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, it would be prudent to notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers obtain bank and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is 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 purchasers or their solicitors.
  • If you are supposed to have a share in the Management Company, you should make sure that you have the original share certificate. Obtaining a duplicate share certificate can be a lengthy process and frustrates many a Flackwell Heath conveyancing deal. If a duplicate share is necessary, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (where applicable) for this sooner rather than later.
  • You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but you should double-check via your solicitors. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the remaining number of years is under 75 years. It is therefore important at an early stage that you consider whether the lease term for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale.

    • I inherited a split level flat in Flackwell Heath, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in Flackwell Heath with a long lease are worth £205,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 invoiced annually. The lease runs out on 21st October 2095

    With 70 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £9,500 and £11,000 as well as legals.

    The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be considered and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you move forward based on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Flackwell Heath