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

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Sample questions relating to Brondesbury leasehold conveyancing

I've found a house that appears to be perfect, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Brondesbury. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Brondesbury ?

The majority of houses in Brondesbury are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Brondesbury so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Brondesbury conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the freeholder’spermission to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor should report to you on the legal implications.

Last month I purchased a leasehold house in Brondesbury. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

What advice can you give us when it comes to finding a Brondesbury conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Brondesbury conveyancing firm) it is imperative that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you talk with several firms including non Brondesbury conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be of use:

  • How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation?
  • How many lease extensions have they completed in Brondesbury in the last year?

    • Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Brondesbury from the point of view of expediting the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Brondesbury can be reduced where you instruct lawyers the minute you market your property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ representatives.
    • If you have carried out any alterations to the property would they have required Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Brondesbury leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord consenting to such works. Should you fail to have the paperwork to hand do not communicate with the landlord without contacting your lawyer first.
  • Some Brondesbury leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers obtain 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 buyers or their lawyers.
  • If there is a history of any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved prior to the flat being put on the market. The buyers and their solicitors will be warry about purchasing a flat where a dispute is unsettled. You will have to accept that you will have to discharge any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to the buyers completing the purchase. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal particulars of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as over rather than unresolved.
  • If you are supposed to have a share in the freehold, you should make sure that you hold the original share certificate. Obtaining a replacement share certificate is often a lengthy formality and frustrates many a Brondesbury conveyancing deal. Where a duplicate share certificate is needed, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (where applicable) for this at the earliest opportunity.

    • We have reached the end of our tether in trying to reach an agreement for a lease extension in Brondesbury. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?

    in cases where there is a missing freeholder or where there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to assess the price.

    An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Brondesbury flat is 50a Cavendish Road in April 2014. The Tribunal determines that the premium payable by the Applicant in respect of the extension of the lease for the flat was £82,319. This case was in relation to 1 flat. The unexpired term was 49.26 years.

    What makes a Brondesbury lease unmortgageable?

    Leasehold conveyancing in Brondesbury 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 premises
    • A duty to insure the building
    • A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
    • Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

    You could encounter difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Yorkshire Building Society, The Mortgage Works, and Bank of Ireland all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is defective they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the buyer to pull out.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Brondesbury