I today plan to offer on a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently found out that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Goddington. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Goddington are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are buying in Goddington so you should seriously consider looking for a Goddington conveyancing practitioner and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the landlord’sconsent to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is part of an estate. Your solicitor will appraise you on the various issues.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two apartments in Goddington both have about fifty years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?

A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a prescribed time frame. As a lease shortens the value of the lease deteriorate and it becomes more costly to extend the lease. This is why it is generally wise to extend the lease term. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage companies may be unwilling to lend money on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We advise that you get professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field

What are your top tips when it comes to appointing a Goddington conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Goddington conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you speak with two or three firms including non Goddington conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be useful:

• How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation?

Can they put you in touch with client in Goddington who can give a testimonial?

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Goddington with the aim of expediting the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Goddington can be reduced if you appoint lawyers as soon as your agents start marketing the property and ask them to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers representatives.
• Many landlords or managing agents in Goddington charge for providing management packs for a leasehold property. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management information sought on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most common cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Goddington.

If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Goddington state that internal structural alterations or addition of wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such changes. Where you fail to have the approvals in place you should not communicate with the landlord without contacting your conveyancer in advance.

If there is a history of any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are settled prior to the flat being marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where there is an ongoing dispute. You may need to swallow your pride and 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 ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal details of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as over as opposed to unsettled.

If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should make sure that you hold the original share document. Arranging a replacement share certificate is often a lengthy process and slows down many a Goddington conveyancing deal. If a reissued share certificate is necessary, do contact the company officers or managing agents (where relevant) for this as soon as possible.

Completion in due on the sale of our £500000 maisonette in Goddington next Monday . The landlords agents has quoted £324 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Goddington?

For most leasehold sales in Goddington conveyancing will involve, questions about the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

• Answering pre-exchange questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Goddington
• 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 conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Goddington leasehold premises is £350. For Goddington 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 provide answers.

I have given up trying to purchase the freehold in Goddington. Can this matter be resolved via the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal?

Where there is a absentee freeholder or where there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the relevant statutes you can apply to the LVT to determine the price.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Goddington property is 1 Southlands Court Southlands Road in September 2013. The Leasehold Valuation Tribunal determined that the premium to be paid by the tenant on the grant of a new lease, in accordance with section 56 and Schedule 13 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 was £30,541 This case was in relation to 1 flat. The remaining number of years on the lease was 50.57 years.