Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Chinatown:

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When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Chinatown, you will need to instruct a conveyancing practitioner with leasehold experience. Whether your lender is to be Halifax, Birmingham Midshires or Nationwide make sure you choose a lawyer on their approved list. Find a Chinatown conveyancing lawyer with our search tool

Sample questions relating to Chinatown leasehold conveyancing

Planning to sign contracts shortly on a ground floor flat in Chinatown. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they report fully tomorrow. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Chinatown should include some of the following:

  • You should receive a copy of the lease
  • The physical extent of the demise. This will be the flat itself but may incorporate a loft or basement if applicable.
  • Does the lease prohibit wood flooring?
  • 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
  • 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
  • The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide.
  • Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice? For details of the information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Chinatown please enquire of your lawyer in ahead of your conveyancing in Chinatown

    • I today plan to offer on a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since found out that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Chinatown. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Chinatown ?

    Most houses in Chinatown are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Chinatown so you should seriously consider looking for a Chinatown conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your lawyer should advise you fully on all the issues.

    My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Chinatown. Conveyancing and Chelsea Building Society mortgage went though with no issue. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing solicitor in Chinatown who previously acted has now retired.What should I do?

    The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the new freeholder. You do not need to incur the fees of a Chinatown conveyancing firm to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

    I've recently bought a leasehold house in Chinatown. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

    Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure 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).

    Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the sale of our £325000 flat in Chinatown next week. The freeholder has quoted £348 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Chinatown?

    Chinatown conveyancing on leasehold flats normally involves the purchaser’s lawyer sending enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address these enquiries the majority will be willing to assist. They are at liberty invoice a reasonable administration fee for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some transactions it is in excess of £800. The management information fee required by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of entitlements and obligations in respect of administration charges, without which the invoice is technically not due. In reality you have no option but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to sell the property.

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

    You certainly can. We are happy to put you in touch with a Chinatown conveyancing firm who can help.

    An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Chinatown property is 36 New Wanstead in August 2010. The Tribunal arrived at a valuation of the premium for the freehold of £22,359. This case affected 2 flats. The the unexpired residue of the current lease was 73.92 years.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Chinatown