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

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Leasehold conveyancing in Golders Green is more complex than freehold. Your home move will be smoother where you choose a lawyer with a wealth of experience of leasehold conveyancing in Golders Green and across next step up in loc. The lawyers we recommend have been approved by your lender so use our search tool to check.

Frequently asked questions relating to Golders Green leasehold conveyancing

Looking forward to complete next month on a ground floor flat in Golders Green. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they will have a report out to me next week. What should I be looking out for?

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

  • Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, freeholder
  • Are pets allowed in the flat?
  • Does the lease prevent you from subletting the flat, or working from home
  • Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this is subject to change
  • The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide.
  • Responsibility for repairing the window frames
  • What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease? For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Golders Green please enquire of your solicitor in ahead of your conveyancing in Golders Green

    • I’m about to sell my basement flat in Golders Green.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just received a half-yearly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

    It best that you pay the service charge 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

    I own a leasehold flat in Golders Green. Conveyancing and Accord Mortgages Ltd mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing practitioner in Golders Green who previously acted has long since retired.What should I do?

    First contact HMLR to make sure that this person is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. You do not need to instruct a Golders Green conveyancing firm to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. Rest assured that in any event, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.

    Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Golders Green with the intention of expediting the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Golders Green can be avoided where you get in touch lawyers the minute your agents start marketing the property and request that they start to collate the leasehold information needed by the purchasers’ solicitors.
    • The majority freeholders or managing agents in Golders Green charge for providing management packs for a leasehold homes. You or your lawyers should find out the actual amount of the charges. The management pack can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most usual cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Golders Green.
  • In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Golders Green leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or addition of wooden flooring calls for a licence issued by the Landlord approving such alterations. Should you dont have the approvals to hand you should not communicate with the landlord without contacting your lawyer first.
  • If there is a history of any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are settled before the property is put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a flat where there is a current dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to pay any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. 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 details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to present the dispute as over as opposed to unresolved.
  • You believe that you know the number of years remaining on your lease but you should double-check by asking your solicitors. A purchaser's lawyer will be unlikely to recommend their client to where the lease term is under 80 years. In the circumstances it is important at an early stage that you identify whether the lease term for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.

    • All being well we will complete our sale of a £325000 flat in Golders Green next week. The freeholder has quoted £312 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Golders Green?

    Golders Green conveyancing on leasehold apartments more often than not requires the buyer’s conveyancer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to respond to these enquiries the majority will be content to do so. They are at liberty levy a reasonable charge for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some cases it exceeds £800. The administration charge levied by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of rights and obligations in relation to administration fees, otherwise the invoice is technically not due. In reality one has little choice but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to exchange contracts with the buyer.

    I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord to extend my lease without success. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on such matters? Can you recommend a Golders Green conveyancing firm to represent me?

    Absolutely. We can put you in touch with a Golders Green conveyancing firm who can help.

    An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Golders Green property is Flat A 372 Cricklewood Lane in January 2013. The Tribunal decided that the premium for the extended lease should be £5,750.00 and that the terms of the new lease should be those set out in annex to the decsion This case affected 1 flat.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Golders Green