Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Harlesden. Before I set the wheels in motion I require certainty as to the number of years remaining on the lease.

If the lease is registered - and 99.9% are in Harlesden - 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.

Looking forward to sign contracts shortly on a basement flat in Harlesden. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they will have a report out to me on Monday. What should I be looking out for?

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

• The unexpired lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease ends, and informed of the importance of the 80 year mark
• Are pets allowed in the flat?
• Whether the lease restricts you from renting out the flat, or working from home
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
• Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your premises and do you know what it means in practice?
• What options are open to you if a neighbour is in violation of a provision in their lease?

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Harlesden. Conveyancing and The Royal Bank of Scotland mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the reversionary interest in the property. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1993. The conveyancing solicitor in Harlesden who previously acted has now retired.What should I do?

First contact the Land Registry to be sure that this person is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to incur the fees of a Harlesden conveyancing practitioner to do this as it can be done on-line for less than a fiver. You should note that regardless, even if this is the legitimate landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

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

If you are instructing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Harlesden conveyancing practice) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you talk with several firms including non Harlesden conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be useful:

• How experienced is the practice with lease extension legislation?
• What volume of lease extensions has the firm carried out in Harlesden in the last year?

Following months of correspondence we simply can't agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Harlesden. Can we issue an application to the Residential Property Tribunal Service?

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

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Harlesden property is First Floor Flat 2B Fortune Gate Road in May 2013. the tribunal decided that the price payable for the lease extension was £9,331, together with £900 in respect of outstanding ground rent. This case was in relation to 1 flat. The remaining number of years on the lease was 74.31 years.

What makes a Harlesden lease problematic?

Leasehold conveyancing in Harlesden is not unique. All leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain provisions are wrong. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• A provision to repair to or maintain parts of the property
• Insurance obligations
• Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
• Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall

A defective lease will likely cause issues when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Nationwide Building Society, Bank of Scotland, and Godiva Mortgages Ltd all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the buyer to withdraw.

Harlesden Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Questions you should consider before buying

Best to be warned if changing the roof or some other major work is due in the foreseeable future to be shared amongst the leasehold owners and could well materially impact the level of the maintenance charges or require a one time payment. For most Harlesden leaseholds the outlay for major works tend not to be included within maintenance charges, although a few managing agents in Harlesden ask leasehold owners to pay into a sinking fund and this is used to offset against larger repairs or maintenance.