I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Brockley. Before I get started I would like to find out the number of years remaining on the lease.

If the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in Brockley - 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.

I have just appointed agents to market my garden apartment in Brockley.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just received a yearly maintenance charge demand – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

It best that you pay 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

Can you offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Brockley conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Brockley conveyancing practice) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you talk with several firms including non Brockley conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be useful:

• How many lease extensions has the firm carried out in Brockley in the last year?
• Can they put you in touch with client in Brockley who can give a testimonial?

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Brockley with the purpose of speeding up the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Brockley can be bypassed if you get in touch lawyers the minute your agents start advertising the property and ask them to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers solicitors.
• Many freeholders or Management Companies in Brockley charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should find out the actual amount of the charges. The management information can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus reducing delays. The average time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most common reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Brockley.
• If there is a history of conflict with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved before the property is marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be concerned about purchasing 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 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 details of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as over rather than ongoing.
• If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should make sure that you have the original share certificate. Arranging a duplicate share certificate can be a time consuming formality and frustrates many a Brockley home move. If a new share certificate is required, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (if applicable) for this as soon as possible.
• You believe that you know the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be advisable double-check via your lawyers. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to to exchange contracts if the remaining number of years is less than 80 years. It is therefore essential 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 premises on the market for sale.

Completion in due on our sale of a £ 450000 garden flat in Brockley in 5 days. The freeholder has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Brockley?

Brockley conveyancing on leasehold flats often requires the purchaser’s solicitor sending questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to respond to these enquiries most will be content to do so. They may levy a reasonable charge for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some transactions it is in excess of £800. The administration charge required by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration fees, otherwise the invoice is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that one has no option but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to sell the property.

I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord for a lease extension without any joy. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal decide on such issues? Can you recommend a Brockley conveyancing firm to act on my behalf?

Most definitely. We can put you in touch with a Brockley conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Brockley premises is Flat b 14 Kemble Road in May 2014. The Tribunal assessed the value of the premium payable for the lease extension to be £9,761 This case was in relation to 1 flat.

I bought a ground floor flat in Brockley, conveyancing having been completed in 2005. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Brockley with over 90 years remaining are worth £208,000. The ground rent is £55 charged once a year. The lease runs out on 21st October 2077

With 51 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £36,100 and £41,800 plus legals.

The figure above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.