Guaranteed fixed fees for Leasehold Conveyancing in Finchley

Get a Quote

Looking for a solicitor for leasehold conveyancing in Finchley on your lender’s panel? Make use of our search tool to find approved local Finchley conveyancing lawyers or nationwide solicitors on your lender’s panel .

Frequently asked questions relating to Finchley leasehold conveyancing

I’m about to sell my basement apartment in Finchley.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just had a quarterly maintenance charge demand – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

The sensible thing to do is discharge the invoice as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of flats in Finchley which have about forty five years left on the leases. should I be concerned?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease shortens the value of the lease reduces and results in it becoming more costly to acquire a lease extension. 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 because mortgage lenders may be reluctant to lend money on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We advise that you seek professional help from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this area

I've recently bought a leasehold house in Finchley. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

In a situation 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. Strange as it may seem, 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 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).

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Finchley with the aim of saving time on the sale process?

  • Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Finchley can be avoided if you instruct lawyers the minute your agents start advertising the property and ask them to put together the leasehold information needed by the purchasers’ lawyers.
  • Many freeholders or managing agents in Finchley levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the fee that they propose to charge. The management information sought as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most usual cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Finchley.
  • If you have carried out any alterations to the premises would they have required Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Finchley state that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring require a licence issued by the Landlord consenting to such alterations. Should you fail to have the consents to hand do not communicate with the landlord without contacting your solicitor before hand.
  • If you have had conflict with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved before the property is marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where a dispute is ongoing. You will have to accept that you will have to pay 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 buyers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as over rather than ongoing.
  • If you have the benefit of shareholding in the Management Company, you should ensure that you hold the original share document. Arranging a replacement share certificate can be a time consuming process and slows down many a Finchley conveyancing transaction. Where a duplicate share is necessary, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (where relevant) for this as soon as possible.

    • Having spent years of correspondence we are unable to agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Finchley. Can we issue an application to the Residential Property Tribunal Service?

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

    An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Finchley residence is Ground Floor 110 Station Road in June 2013. The Tribunal found that the premium payable for a lease extension should be £31,665. This case related to 1 flat. The the unexpired term as at the valuation date was 56.65 years.

    What are the frequently found deficiencies that you witness in leases for Finchley properties?

    Leasehold conveyancing in Finchley is not unique. All leases is drafted differently and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain provisions are not included. 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
    • Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
    • 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. Halifax, The Mortgage Works, and Godiva Mortgages Ltd all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to provide security, obliging the purchaser to pull out.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Finchley