I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Keyworth. Before diving in I would like to find out the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Keyworth - 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.

My fiance and I may need to rent out our Keyworth basement flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We instructed a Keyworth conveyancing firm in 2002 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time seek any advice as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

Some leases for properties in Keyworth do contain a provision to say that subletting is only permitted with prior consent from the landlord. The landlord cannot 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.

Back In 2008, I bought a leasehold flat in Keyworth. Conveyancing and Coventry Building Society mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing solicitor in Keyworth who previously acted has long since retired.Any advice?

First make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to incur the fees of a Keyworth conveyancing lawyer to do this as it can be done on-line for £3. You should note that in any event, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Keyworth from the perspective of speeding up the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Keyworth can be bypassed if you appoint lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers lawyers.
• Many freeholders or Management Companies in Keyworth levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the fee that they propose to charge. The management information sought as soon as you have a buyer, thus reducing delays. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most common cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Keyworth.

If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s approval? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Keyworth leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or laying down wooden flooring require a licence issued by the Landlord acquiescing to such alterations. If you dont have the paperwork in place you should not communicate with the landlord without checking with your solicitor in advance.

If you have had any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is very important that these are resolved before the property is marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where there is an ongoing dispute. You may need to swallow your pride and discharge any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose particulars of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is better to present the dispute as historic rather than ongoing.

If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should ensure that you hold the original share certificate. Obtaining a duplicate share certificate can be a time consuming formality and delays many a Keyworth home move. If a duplicate share certificate is required, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (if applicable) for this sooner rather than later.

All being well we will complete the disposal of our £225000 flat in Keyworth in 8 days. The landlords agents has quoted £384 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Keyworth?

For the majority of leasehold sales in Keyworth conveyancing will involve, queries regarding the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

• Addressing conveyancing due diligence questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Keyworth
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Keyworth leasehold premises is £350. For Keyworth conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are obliged to supply answers.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Keyworth - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

Is anyone aware of any major works in the near future that could add a premium to the maintenance fees? You should be aware if it is less than eighty years it will impact the salability of the flat. It is worth checking with your bank that they are content with the length of the lease. A short lease means that you will almost definitely have to extend the lease sooner rather than later and it is worth discovering how much this will be. Remember, in most cases you will need to own the property for two years in order to be legally able to extend the lease. Is the freehold reversion owned jointly by the leaseholders?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Keyworth