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 appoint a conveyancing lawyer with leasehold experience. Whether your lender is to be Clydesdale , Yorkshire Building Society or Bradford & Bingley make sure you choose a lawyer on their panel. Feel free to use our search tool

Battersea leasehold conveyancing: Q and A’s

I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Battersea. Before I set the wheels in motion I would like to find out the number of years remaining on the lease.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and most are in Battersea - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars 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 Battersea ground floor flat temporarily due to taking a sabbatical. We instructed a Battersea conveyancing practice in 2001 but they have closed and we did not think at the time seek any advice as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

Some leases for properties in Battersea do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord cannot unreasonably refuse but, in such cases, they would need to review 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.

I am hoping to exchange soon on a ground floor flat in Battersea. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they report fully within the next couple of days. What should I be looking out for?

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

  • You should be sent a copy of the lease
  • How long the lease is You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and aware of the importance of not letting the lease term falling below eighty years
  • The total extent of the demise. This will be the flat itself but may incorporate a loft or basement if appropriate.
  • Does the lease prevent you from letting out the property, or having a home office for business
  • Whether your lease has a provision for a reserve fund?
  • Repair and maintenance of the flat
  • Responsibility for repairing the window frames For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Battersea please enquire of your conveyancer in ahead of your conveyancing in Battersea

    • I am hoping to put an offer on a small detached house that appears to meet my requirements, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Battersea. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been appointed. Will they explain the issues?

    Most houses in Battersea are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Battersea in which case you should be shopping around for a Battersea conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as obtaining the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your lawyer will advise you fully on all the issues.

    Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Battersea from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?

    • Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Battersea can be bypassed where you instruct lawyers as soon as your agents start advertising the property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the purchasers’ representatives.
    • In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Battersea leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or installing wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such changes. If you fail to have the consents to hand do not contact the landlord without checking with your solicitor before hand.
  • A minority of Battersea leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers put in hand financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is financially capable of paying the annual 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 actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their solicitors.
  • If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should make sure that you are holding the original share certificate. Arranging a duplicate share certificate can be a lengthy formality and slows down many a Battersea conveyancing transaction. Where a reissued share certificate is needed, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (where applicable) for this sooner rather than later.
  • You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but it would be advisable double-check by asking your conveyancers. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the lease term is below 80 years. In the circumstances it is important at an as soon as possible that you identify whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale.

    • I am the proprietor of a ground floor flat in Battersea. Given that I can not reach agreement with the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the sum due for a lease extension?

    in cases where there is a absentee landlord or where there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to calculate the amount due.

    An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Battersea property 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 was in relation to 1 flat. The unexpired lease term was 57.06 years.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Battersea