Guaranteed fixed fees for Leasehold Conveyancing in Heathfield

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Heathfield leasehold conveyancing Example Support Desk Enquiries

I have recently realised that I have Seventy years left on my flat in Heathfield. I am keen to get lease extension but my freeholder is can not be found. What options are available to me?

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 lengthened by the Court. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you have done all that could be expected to find the lessor. In some cases a specialist would be useful to conduct investigations and to produce a report to be used as evidence that the freeholder can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor both on devolving into the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Heathfield.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of apartments in Heathfield which have approximately forty five years remaining on the leases. should I be concerned?

There are plenty of short leases in Heathfield. The lease is a right to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As a lease shortens the marketability of the lease reduces and results in it becoming more expensive to extend the lease. This is why it is advisable to extend the lease term. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We advise that you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this arena

What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Heathfield conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Heathfield conveyancing practice) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you talk with several firms including non Heathfield conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be of use:

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

    • Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Heathfield from the perspective of saving time on the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Heathfield can be reduced if you instruct lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers solicitors.
    • If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Heathfield leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or laying down wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord consenting to such alterations. Where you fail to have the consents to hand do not contact the landlord without checking with your conveyancer in advance.
  • A minority of Heathfield leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this is the case, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain 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 solicitors.
  • If there is a history of any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved prior to the flat being put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where a dispute is ongoing. You may have to bite the bullet 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 will still have to reveal particulars of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as over as opposed to unresolved.
  • You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but you should double-check via your conveyancers. A buyer’s conveyancer will not be happy to advise their client to to exchange contracts if the lease term is below 80 years. In the circumstances it is important at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale.

    • Completion in due on our sale of a £400000 garden flat in Heathfield next Friday . The freeholder has quoted £348 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Heathfield?

    Heathfield conveyancing on leasehold apartments normally involves the buyer’s lawyer sending enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address these enquiries most will be content to do so. They are entitled levy a reasonable administration fee for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some situations it is in excess of £800. The management information fee required by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration fees, without which the charge is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that you have no choice but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to sell the property.

    I am the registered owner of a leasehold flat in Heathfield, conveyancing formalities finalised 2002. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Similar flats in Heathfield with over 90 years remaining are worth £216,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease finishes on 21st October 2102

    You have 77 years left to run the likely cost is going to range between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as costs.

    The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Heathfield