Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Forest Hall. Before I set the wheels in motion I would like to find out the number of years remaining on the lease.

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and almost all are in Forest Hall - 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 would like to rent out my leasehold flat in Forest Hall. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Is permission from the freeholder required?

Some leases for properties in Forest Hall do contain a provision to say that subletting is only permitted with prior consent from the landlord. The landlord is not entitled to unreasonably refuse 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 consent.

I only have Seventy years unexpired on my lease in Forest Hall. I am keen to extend my lease but my freeholder is missing. What are my options?

On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be granted an extra 90 years by the Court. You will be obliged to prove that you have made all reasonable attempts to track down the landlord. For most situations a specialist should be useful to try and locate and to produce a report which can be accepted by the court as proof that the landlord is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a property lawyer in relation to devolving into the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Forest Hall.

I’m about to sell my 2 bed apartment in Forest Hall.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just had a half-yearly maintenance charge demand – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is pay 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 management companies 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

All being well we will complete our sale of a £350000 garden flat in Forest Hall next week. The management company has quoted £336 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Forest Hall?

Forest Hall conveyancing on leasehold flats more often than not requires the buyer’s lawyer sending enquiries for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer these enquiries the majority will be content to assist. They are entitled levy a reasonable administration fee for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some situations it is in excess of £800. The administration charge demanded by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of entitlements and obligations in respect of administration charges, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that one has little option but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

Forest Hall Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Queries before buying

Be sure to investigate if there are any onerous prohibitions in the lease. By way of example plenty of leases prohibit pets being allowed in in a block in Forest Hall. If you like the apartmentin Forest Hall yet your dog is not allowed to move with you then you will be faced difficult determination. If a Forest Hall lease has no more than 80 years it will have adverse implications on the value of the flat. Check with your lender that they are content with the length of the lease. A short lease means that you will most likely need a lease extension sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of what this will be. Remember, in most cases you would need to own the residence for 24 months in order to be eligible to extend the lease. In the main the cost for major works tend not to be incorporated into the service charges, albeit that there some managing agents in Forest Hall require leaseholders to pay into a reserve fund created for the specific intention of establishing a fund for major works.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Forest Hall