Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Hanworth. Before diving in I require certainty as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and almost all are in Hanworth - 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 have recently realised that I have 68 years remaining on my lease in Hanworth. I am keen to extend my lease but my landlord is missing. What options are available to me?

On the basis that you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can submit an application to the County Court for for permission to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be lengthened by the Court. However, you will be required to demonstrate that you or your lawyers have used your best endeavours to track down the lessor. On the whole a specialist would be useful to try and locate and to produce an expert document which can be used as evidence that the landlord is indeed missing. It is wise to seek advice from a conveyancer both on proving the landlord’s absence and the application to the County Court covering Hanworth.

I have just appointed agents to market my 2 bed flat in Hanworth.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a half-yearly service charge invoice – what should I do?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should 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 management companies 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 today plan to offer on a house that appears to be perfect, at a reasonable price which is making it all the more appealing. I have just discovered that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a leasehold house in Hanworth. Conveyancing solicitors have are about to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Hanworth ?

The majority of houses in Hanworth are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are buying in Hanworth so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Hanworth conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the landlord’sconsent to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your lawyer will appraise you on the various issues.

I've recently bought a leasehold house in Hanworth. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

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. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure 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).

I am the leaseholder of a basement flat in Hanworth. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the amount due for a lease extension?

You certainly can. We are happy to put you in touch with a Hanworth conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Hanworth residence is 147 Redford Close in June 2012. The Tribunal determined the lease extension premium to be at £4,200 This case related to 1 flat. The the unexpired term as at the valuation date was 82.93 years.

Hanworth Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to Purchasing

Most Hanworth leasehold properties will incur a service charge for the upkeep of the block levied by the freeholder. If you buy the flat you will have to pay this amount, normally in instalments accross the year. This can vary from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for large purpose-built blocks. In all probability there will be a ground rent to be met yearly, ordinarily this is not a significant sum, say about £50-£100 but you need to enquire as sometimes it could be many hundreds of pounds.