Leasehold Conveyancing in Fortis Green - Get a Quote from the leasehold experts approved by your lender

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While any conveyancing solicitor can theoretically deal with your leasehold conveyancing in Fortis Green, your mortgage provider may unwilling to work with them if the firm are not on their list of approved solicitors for conveyancing

Top Five Questions relating to Fortis Green leasehold conveyancing

There are only 68 years unexpired on my flat in Fortis Green. I need to extend my lease but my landlord is can not be found. What are my options?

If you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be extended by the magistrate. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have done all that could be expected to locate the freeholder. For most situations an enquiry agent would be useful to try and locate and to produce an expert document which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor both on investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Fortis Green.

I am hoping to sign contracts shortly on a ground floor flat in Fortis Green. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they report fully within the next couple of days. What should I be looking out for?

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

  • The length of the lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and aware of the importance of the 80 year mark
  • The total extent of the demise. This will be the apartment itself but may incorporate a roof space or cellar if applicable.
  • Defining your legal entitlements in relation to the communal areas in the block.By way of example, does the lease contain a right of way over an accessway or staircase?
  • Are you allowed to have a pet in the flat?
  • Whether your lease has a provision for a sinking fund?
  • You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
  • What you can do if a neighbour is in violation of a provision in their lease? For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Fortis Green please enquire of your lawyer in ahead of your conveyancing in Fortis Green

    • I have just started marketing my 2 bed flat in Fortis Green.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just received a quarterly service charge invoice – what should I do?

    It best that you pay 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 management companies will not acknowledge the buyer unless 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.

    Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Fortis Green from the point of view of expediting the sale process?

    • Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Fortis Green can be reduced where you instruct lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers lawyers.
    • The majority landlords or Management Companies in Fortis Green charge for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should find out the actual amount of the charges. The management pack sought on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Fortis Green.
  • If you have carried out any alterations to the premises would they have required Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Fortis Green leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or addition of wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord approving such changes. If you dont have the consents in place do not contact the landlord without contacting your solicitor in advance.
  • Some Fortis Green leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain bank and professional references. The bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are financially capable of paying the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their solicitors.
  • If you are supposed to have a share in the Management Company, you should ensure that you are holding the original share document. Obtaining a re-issued share certificate can be a lengthy process and delays many a Fortis Green home move. Where a duplicate share is necessary, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (where relevant) for this sooner rather than later.

    • All being well we will complete our sale of a £225000 apartment in Fortis Green next Wednesday . The freeholder has quoted £420 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a flat conveyance in Fortis Green?

    Fortis Green conveyancing on leasehold apartments often necessitates the buyer’s conveyancer sending enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address such questions the majority will be willing to assist. They may levy a reasonable charge 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 £350, in some transactions it is in excess of £800. The management information fee demanded by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, without which the invoice is technically not due. In reality one has no choice but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to sell the property.

    We have reached the end of our tether in trying to purchase the freehold in Fortis Green. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?

    You certainly can. We can put you in touch with a Fortis Green conveyancing firm who can help.

    An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Fortis Green residence is 21 St Matthews Court Coppetts Road in February 2013. the applicant applied to the Tribunal for a determination of the premium payable for a lease extension pursuant to Section 48 of the Leasehold Reform (Housing and Urban Development ) Act 1993. The tribunal therefore ordered that the premium was to be £13,267. This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired term was 68 years.