Guaranteed fixed fees for Leasehold Conveyancing in Charlton

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When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Charlton, you will need to chose a conveyancing solicitor with leasehold experience. Whether your mortgage company is to be Clydesdale , RBS or NatWest be sure to find a lawyer on their approved list. Find a Charlton conveyancing lawyer with our search tool

Recently asked questions relating to Charlton leasehold conveyancing

My wife and I may need to rent out our Charlton basement flat for a while due to a career opportunity. We used a Charlton conveyancing practice in 2004 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time get any advice as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

Even though your last Charlton conveyancing lawyer is not available you can review your lease to check if it allows you to sublet the premises. The accepted inference is that if the lease is non-specific, subletting is allowed. There may be a precondition that you must obtain consent via your landlord or other appropriate person in advance of subletting. The net result is you not allowed to sublet in the absence of prior consent. Such consent should not be unreasonably withheld. If the lease prohibits you from letting out the property you should ask your landlord for their consent.

Expecting to sign contracts shortly on a studio apartment in Charlton. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they will have a report out to me within the next couple of days. What should I be looking out for?

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

  • The physical extent of the property. This will be the apartment itself but could also include a roof space or cellar if applicable.
  • Setting out your legal entitlements in relation to common areas in the building.By way of example, does the lease contain a right of way over a path or staircase?
  • Does the lease prohibit wood flooring?
  • Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this will change in the future
  • 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
  • Repair and maintenance of the flat
  • What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease? For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Charlton please enquire of your lawyer in advance of your conveyancing in Charlton

    • I own a leasehold flat in Charlton. Conveyancing and Lloyds TSB Bank mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1998. The conveyancing practitioner in Charlton who previously acted has now retired.Any advice?

    The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to make sure that this person is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to instruct a Charlton conveyancing practitioner to do this as it can be done on-line for a few pound. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

    Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Charlton with the aim of expediting the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Charlton can be bypassed where you get in touch lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers representatives.
    • Many landlords or managing agents in Charlton charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should find out the actual amount of the charges. The management pack sought on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most frequent reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Charlton.
  • Some Charlton leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain 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 buyers or their solicitors.
  • If you have had conflict with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are settled before the property is put on the market. The buyers and their solicitors will be nervous about purchasing a property where there is a current dispute. You may need to swallow your pride 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 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 present the dispute as historic rather than ongoing.
  • You believe that you know the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be advisable double-check by asking your solicitors. A purchaser's lawyer will not be happy to advise their client to to exchange contracts if the lease term is less than 75 years. In the circumstances it is important at an as soon as possible that you identify whether the lease requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale.

    • Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the disposal of our £450000 apartment in Charlton on Friday in a week. The management company has quoted £396 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Charlton?

    Charlton conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes more often than not necessitates the purchaser’s solicitor sending enquiries for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address these enquiries the majority will be willing to do so. They may levy a reasonable charge for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some situations it is in excess of £800. The management information fee required by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of rights and obligations in relation to administration fees, without which the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality one has no option but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

    Following years of dialogue we simply can't agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Charlton. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?

    if there is a missing freeholder or where there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the LVT to decide the sum to be paid.

    An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Charlton residence is 73 Walerand Road in August 2012. the result of the findings of the Tribunal led to a premium to be paid for the extended lease in respect of Flat 73 in the sum of £10,040. The premium applicable in respect of Flat 85 was £5,710. This case was in relation to 2 flats. The unexpired lease term was 72 years.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Charlton