Leasehold Conveyancing in Battersea - Get a Quote from the leasehold experts approved by your lender

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When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Battersea, you will need to chose a conveyancing solicitor with leasehold experience. Whether your mortgage company is to be Halifax, Yorkshire Building Society or NatWest make sure you find a lawyer on their panel. Find a Battersea conveyancing lawyer with our search tool

Top Five Questions relating to Battersea leasehold conveyancing

I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Battersea. Before I get started I would like to find out the remaining lease term.

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and 99.9% are in Battersea - 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.

Expecting to exchange soon on a studio apartment in Battersea. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they are sending me a report tomorrow. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

  • You should be sent a copy of the lease
  • Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord
  • The physical extent of the premises. This will be the apartment itself but might incorporate a loft or basement if applicable.
  • 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
  • Whether your lease has a provision for a sinking fund?
  • 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
  • What you can do 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 Battersea please ask your conveyancer in ahead of your conveyancing in Battersea

    • Back In 2006, I bought a leasehold flat in Battersea. Conveyancing and Chelsea Building Society mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing solicitor in Battersea who acted for me is not around.What should I do?

    The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to instruct a Battersea conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that regardless, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

    Can you offer any advice when it comes to choosing a Battersea conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

    When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Battersea conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you talk with two or three firms including non Battersea conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be of use:

    • How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?
  • Can they put you in touch with client in Battersea who can give a testimonial?

    • Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Battersea with the intention of saving time on the sale process?

    • Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Battersea can be reduced where you get in touch lawyers the minute your agents start advertising the property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ conveyancers.
    • If you have carried out any alterations to the property would they have required Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Battersea leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or addition of wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord approving such alterations. If you dont have the approvals to hand do not communicate with the landlord without contacting your conveyancer in the first instance.
  • A minority of Battersea leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, you should place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. The 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 purchasers or their solicitors.
  • If there is a history of any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is very important that these are resolved before the property is marketed. The buyers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where there is an ongoing dispute. You may have to bite the bullet and discharge any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. 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 details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to reveal the dispute as historic as opposed to ongoing.
  • If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should make sure that you are holding the original share document. Obtaining a re-issued share certificate can be a lengthy process and frustrates many a Battersea conveyancing deal. Where a new share certificate is necessary, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (where relevant) for this as soon as possible.

    • I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord for a lease extension without getting anywhere. Can a leaseholder make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Battersea conveyancing firm to assist?

    Absolutely. We can put you in touch with a Battersea conveyancing firm who can help.

    An example of a Lease Extension case for a Battersea residence is 150A Albert Palace Mansions Lurline Gardens in July 2013. The Tribunal determined that the premium payable for the new lease of the subject property was £42,069 This case related to 1 flat. The remaining number of years on the lease was 57.06 years.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Battersea