I want to rent out my leasehold apartment in Brent Cross. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for their consent?

A small minority of properties in Brent Cross 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 permission.

You should [be sent a copy of the lease|receive a copy of the lease]

Looking forward to exchange soon on a basement flat in Brent Cross. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they are sending me a report 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 Brent Cross should include some of the following:

• The physical extent of the property. This will be the apartment itself but may include a roof space or basement if applicable.
• Do you need to have carpet in the flat or are you allowed wood flooring?
• Will you be prohibited or prevented from having pets in the property?
• Whether the lease restricts you from renting out the flat, or working from home
• Whether your lease has a provision for a reserve fund?
• Repair and maintenance of the flat
• 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

For details of the information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Brent Cross please ask your conveyancer in ahead of your conveyancing in Brent Cross

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Brent Cross with the intention of expediting the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Brent Cross can be reduced where you appoint lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information needed by the buyers conveyancers.
• Many landlords or Management Companies in Brent Cross levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the actual amount of the charges. The management information can be applied for on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Brent Cross.
• Some Brent Cross leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, it would be prudent to notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers put in hand bank and professional references. Any bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are financially capable of paying 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 actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their lawyers.
• If you have had any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is very important that these are settled prior to the flat being put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be concerned about purchasing a property where there is a current dispute. You may have to bite the bullet and pay any arrears of service charge or resolve 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 will still have to reveal details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as historic as opposed to unsettled.
• If you are supposed to have a share in the Management Company, you should ensure that you hold the original share certificate. Obtaining a duplicate share certificate is often a time consuming process and frustrates many a Brent Cross home move. If a reissued share is necessary, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (where relevant) for this sooner rather than later.

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the disposal of our £ 200000 garden flat in Brent Cross in just under a week. The management company has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Brent Cross?

Brent Cross conveyancing on leasehold flats typically results in administration charges invoiced by landlords agents :

• Completing pre-contract enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Brent Cross
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Brent Cross leasehold property is £350. For Brent Cross 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 required to provide the information.

I inherited a first flat in Brent Cross. In the absence of agreement between myself and the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the sum due for a lease extension?

You certainly can. We can put you in touch with a Brent Cross conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Brent Cross flat is First Floor Flat 61 Wilberforce Road in March 2014. The premium payable was £10,130 and the case was remitted back to the Willesden County Court to effect the Vesting Order (Claim No 3W103100). This case was in relation to 1 flat. The remaining number of years on the lease was 71 years.

What makes a Brent Cross lease problematic?

Leasehold conveyancing in Brent Cross is not unique. All leases are unique and drafting errors can sometimes mean that certain provisions are missing. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

• A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the property
• Insurance obligations
• A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
• Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall

You may have a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Yorkshire Building Society, Norwich and Peterborough Building Society, and Aldermore all have express 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 grant the mortgage, obliging the buyer to pull out.

Brent Cross Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Questions you should consider Prior to buying

It is important to be aware if window replacement or some other major work is anticipated that will be shared amongst the leaseholders and could well dramatically increase the the service charges or result in a specific payment. Please tell me if there are any major works in the near future that will likely add a premium to the maintenance charges?