Guaranteed fixed fees for Leasehold Conveyancing in Hartford

Get a Quote

Any conveyancing solicitor can theoretically handle your leasehold conveyancing in Hartford, your mortgage provider may unwilling to work with them if the firm are not on their list of approved solicitors for conveyancing

Frequently asked questions relating to Hartford leasehold conveyancing

I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Hartford. Before I set the wheels in motion I want to be sure as to the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Hartford - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars 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.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only 62 years unexpired on my flat in Hartford. I am keen to get lease extension but my freeholder is missing. What options are available to me?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will enable the lease to be lengthened by the Court. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have made all reasonable attempts to find the lessor. On the whole an enquiry agent should be helpful to carry out a search and to produce an expert document to be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor in relation to investigating the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court covering Hartford.

Due to sign contracts shortly on a leasehold property in Hartford. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they are sending me a report within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

  • Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat?
  • Does the lease prevent you from letting out the flat, or having a home office for business
  • Changes to the flat (alterations and additions)
  • I don't know whether the lease allows me to alter or improve anything in the flat - you should know whether it applies to all alterations or just structural alteration, and whether consent is required
  • 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
  • What options are open to you if a neighbour breach a clause of their lease? For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Hartford please ask your solicitor in ahead of your conveyancing in Hartford

    • Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my garden flat in Hartford.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just received a yearly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?

    The sensible thing to do is pay 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 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.

    Completion in due on the sale of our £175000 flat in Hartford in 8 days. The freeholder has quoted £384 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Hartford?

    Hartford conveyancing on leasehold apartments normally necessitates the buyer’s lawyer sending enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so. They may levy a reasonable administration fee for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it is above £800. The administration charge invoiced by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration fees, otherwise the charge is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have little choice but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to exchange contracts with the buyer.

    I own a 2 bed flat in Hartford, conveyancing formalities finalised 10 years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Hartford with an extended lease are worth £235,000. The ground rent is £65 per annum. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2075

    With just 51 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £33,300 and £38,400 as well as professional fees.

    The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. You should not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and clearly you want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Hartford