Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Kendal:

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Questions and Answers: Kendal leasehold conveyancing

I wish to rent out my leasehold flat in Kendal. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask her. Is permission from the freeholder required?

A lease governs relations between the landlord and you the leaseholder; in particular, it will set out if subletting is prohibited, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The rule is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is allowed. The majority of leases in Kendal do not contain an absolute prevention of subletting – such a clause would undoubtedly devalue the flat. In most cases there is simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a duplicate of the sublease.

Looking forward to exchange soon on a leasehold property in Kendal. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they will have a report out to me within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Kendal should include some of the following:

  • Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, freeholder
  • The physical extent of the demise. This will be the apartment itself but might include a roof space or basement if appropriate.
  • Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this is subject to change
  • An explanation as to the provision in the lease to pay service charges - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has
  • You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
  • The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide.
  • Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice? For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Kendal please ask your solicitor in advance of your conveyancing in Kendal

    • I am a negotiator for a busy estate agent office in Kendal where we see a number of leasehold sales derailed as a result of short leases. I have been given conflicting advice from local Kendal conveyancing firms. Can you clarify whether the owner of a flat can commence the lease extension formalities for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

    As long as the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. The benefit of this is that the buyer can avoid having to wait 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done before, or simultaneously with completion of the disposal of the property.

    An alternative approach is to agree the lease extension with the freeholder either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the buyer.

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

    When appointing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Kendal conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you talk with several firms including non Kendal conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be of use:

    • Can they put you in touch with client in Kendal who can give a testimonial?
  • What are the legal fees for lease extension conveyancing?

    • What makes a Kendal lease problematic?

    There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Kendal. All leases are individual and drafting errors can result in certain provisions are missing. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

    • A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the building
    • Insurance obligations
    • Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
    • Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall

    You may encounter difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Barclays , The Mortgage Works, and Barclays Direct all have very detailed requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to provide security, obliging the purchaser to withdraw.

    Kendal Leasehold Conveyancing - Sample of Queries Prior to buying

      Does this lease have more than 80 years left? How is the lease structured? Generally speaking the cost for major works are not included within maintenance charges, albeit that some managing agents in Kendal obliged tenants to contribute towards a sinking fund and this is used to offset against larger works.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Kendal