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

If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and 99.9% are in Forest Hill - 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.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to meet my requirements, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since found out that it's a leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Forest Hill. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Forest Hill ?

The majority of houses in Forest Hill are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Forest Hill in which case you should be looking for a Forest Hill conveyancing practitioner and check that they are used to advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a lessee 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’spermission to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your lawyer will appraise you on the various issues.

Back In 2000, I bought a leasehold flat in Forest Hill. Conveyancing and Virgin Money mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1991. The conveyancing practitioner in Forest Hill who acted for me is not around.What should I do?

First contact HMLR to make sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to instruct a Forest Hill conveyancing firm to do this as it can be done on-line for £3. Rest assured 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.

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Forest Hill conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Forest Hill conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Forest Hill conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be of use:

• If they are not ALEP accredited then why not?
• Can they put you in touch with client in Forest Hill who can give a testimonial?

All being well we will complete the disposal of our £ 275000 garden flat in Forest Hill next week. The management company has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Forest Hill?

Forest Hill conveyancing on leasehold flats nine out of ten times results in fees being levied by landlords agents :

• Completing conveyancing due diligence questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Forest Hill
• Copies of the building insurance and schedule
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Forest Hill leasehold premises is £350. For Forest Hill 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 obliged to supply the information.

After years of dialogue we simply can't agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Forest Hill. Can we issue an application to the Residential Property Tribunal Service?

You certainly can. We can put you in touch with a Forest Hill conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Forest Hill 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 related to 1 flat. The unexpired term was 61.81 years.

Forest Hill Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

You should want to discover as much as you can concerning the managing agents as they will either make your living at the property much simpler or problematic. As the proprietor of a leasehold property you are frequently at the mercy of the managing agents both financially and when it comes to daily matters such as the tidiness of the common parts. Enquire of prospective neighbours what they think of their management. On a final note, find out the dates that the service fees are due to the managing agents and specifically what you get for your money.