You should [be sent a copy of the lease|receive a copy of the lease]

Expecting to complete next month on a garden flat in East Dulwich. Conveyancing lawyers have said that they report fully tomorrow. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• The total extent of the premises. This will be the flat itself but might incorporate a roof space or cellar if appropriate.
• Whether the lease restricts you from letting out the flat, or having a home office for business
• 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
• 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 obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building
• Responsibility for repairing the window frames

For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in East Dulwich please enquire of your solicitor in ahead of your conveyancing in East Dulwich

I am attracted to a couple of flats in East Dulwich which have in the region of 50 years left on the leases. Do I need to be concerned?

There are plenty of short leases in East Dulwich. The lease is a right to use the property for a period of time. As the lease shortens the value of the lease reduces and it becomes more expensive to extend the lease. This is why it is generally wise to increase the term of the lease. More often than not it is difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease as mortgage companies may be reluctant to lend money on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a protracted process. We advise that you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area

What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a East Dulwich conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a East Dulwich conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you speak with several firms including non East Dulwich conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be helpful:

• How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• What are the legal fees for lease extension conveyancing?

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the sale of our £ 125000 flat in East Dulwich in 5 days. The managing agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in East Dulwich?

For the majority of leasehold sales in East Dulwich conveyancing will involve, queries regarding the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

• Completing pre-exchange enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in East Dulwich
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your lawyer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for East Dulwich leasehold premises is £350. For East Dulwich conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to provide answers.

My wife and I have hit a brick wall in trying to purchase the freehold in East Dulwich. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?

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

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a East Dulwich property is Flat 1 40-42 Ewelme Road in August 2012. the Tribunal assessed the premium for the lease extension in the sum of £11,800 This case affected 1 flat. The the unexpired term as at the valuation date was 61.81 years.

What makes a East Dulwich lease unmortgageable?

Leasehold conveyancing in East Dulwich is not unique. Most leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain sections are wrong. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the property
• Insurance obligations
• A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
• Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall

A defective lease can cause problems when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. National Westminster Bank, Coventry Building Society, and TSB all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to provide security, obliging the buyer to withdraw.

Leasehold Conveyancing in East Dulwich - A selection of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

Generally speaking the outlay for major works tend not to be wrapped into the service charges, although some managing agents in East Dulwich ask leaseholders to pay into a sinking fund and this is used to offset against larger works. It would be wise to find out as much as you can about the company managing the block as they can either make life much easier or problematic. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are often at the mercy of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to practical matters like the upkeep of the communal areas. Enquire of other people what they think of them. On a final note, find out the dates that you are obliged pay the service charge to the appropriate party and precisely what you get for your money.