I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Colindale. Before I get started I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and almost all are in Colindale - 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.

There are only 62 years left on my lease in Colindale. I now wish to extend my lease but my landlord is absent. What options are available to me?

If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be lengthened by the Court. However, you will be required to prove that you or your lawyers have used your best endeavours to locate the lessor. On the whole an enquiry agent would be useful to try and locate and prepare an expert document which can be used as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is wise to seek advice from a property lawyer in relation to devolving into the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing Colindale.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently discovered that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Colindale. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Colindale are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Colindale so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Colindale conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the freeholder’sconsent to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the house is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should report to you on the legal implications.

Back In 2001, I bought a leasehold flat in Colindale. Conveyancing and Britannia mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received 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 1993. The conveyancing solicitor in Colindale who previously acted has now retired.What should I do?

First make enquiries of HMLR to be sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to instruct a Colindale conveyancing firm to do this as it can be done on-line for £3. You should note that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

All being well we will complete the sale of our £ 125000 garden flat in Colindale in nine days. The freeholder has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Colindale?

Colindale conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes normally necessitates the buyer’s conveyancer sending questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to answer these enquiries most will be content to assist. They are entitled charge a reasonable administration fee for answering enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some situations it exceeds £800. The administration charge required by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration fees, without which the charge is not strictly payable. In reality one has little choice but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to complete the sale of your home.

I own a two-bedroom flat in Colindale. In the absence of agreement between myself and the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the amount payable for the purchase of the freehold?

Absolutely. We can put you in touch with a Colindale conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Colindale premises is 27B Hillside in February 2010. the resulting premium, all other aspects of the valuation having been agreed between the parties was set at £8,250 This case related to 1 flat. The the number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 70.25 years.

I bought a 1st floor flat in Colindale, conveyancing formalities finalised 2002. Can you please calculate a probable premium for a statutory lease extension? Comparable flats in Colindale with over 90 years remaining are worth £190,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced annually. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2088

With 62 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £19,000 and £22,000 plus legals.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.