I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Little Venice. Before I get started I would like to find out the unexpired term of the lease.

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and 99.9% are in Little Venice - 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 only have Fifty years remaining on my lease in Little Venice. I need to get lease extension but my landlord is missing. What should I do?

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 extended by the Court. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to track down the landlord. For most situations an enquiry agent should be useful to conduct investigations and to produce an expert document to be used as evidence that the freeholder can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer in relation to proving the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing Little Venice.

I’m about to sell my 2 bed apartment in Little Venice.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just received a quarterly maintenance charge invoice – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is discharge 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 managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer until 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.

I've found a house that seems to meet my requirements, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have since been informed that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Little Venice. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Little Venice are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Little Venice in which case you should be looking for a Little Venice conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the freeholder’spermission to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your conveyancer will appraise you on the various issues.

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on our sale of a £225000 maisonette in Little Venice next week. The freeholder has quoted £384 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Little Venice?

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

• Completing pre-contract enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Little Venice
• 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 Little Venice leasehold property is £350. For Little Venice 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 Little Venice - A selection of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

Generally speaking the cost for major works tend not to be incorporated into the service charges, although a few managing agents in Little Venice ask tenants to pay into a sinking fund and this is used to offset against major repairs or maintenance. You will want to find out as much as possible about the managing agents as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you will be in the clutches of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to practical matters like the upkeep of the common parts. Don't be afraid to ask other people if they are happy with them. In conclusion, investigate as to the dates that you are obliged pay the maintenance charge to the managing agents and specifically what you get for your money. Can you tell me if there are any major works in the near future that will likely add a premium to the service fees?

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Little Venice