Harold Hill leasehold conveyancing: Q and A’s
I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Harold Hill. Before diving in I require certainty as to the number of years remaining on the lease.
If the lease is registered - and most are in Harold Hill - 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.
My partner and I may need to sub-let our Harold Hill 1st floor flat for a while due to a new job. We instructed a Harold Hill conveyancing firm in 2002 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to get any advice as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?
Notwithstanding that your last Harold Hill conveyancing solicitor is no longer around you can check your lease to see if it allows you to sublet the premises. The rule is that if the lease is non-specific, subletting is permitted. There may be a precondition that you need to obtain consent via your landlord or other appropriate person in advance of subletting. The net result is that you cannot sublet in the absence of first obtaining consent. The consent should not be unreasonably turned down. If your lease does not allow you to sublet you will need to ask your landlord for their consent.
What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Harold Hill conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?
If you are instructing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Harold Hill conveyancing practice) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you make enquires with several firms including non Harold Hill conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be helpful:
- Can they put you in touch with client in Harold Hill who can give a testimonial?
Completion in due on the sale of our £400000 garden flat in Harold Hill in just under a week. The managing agents has quoted £348 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Harold Hill?
Harold Hill conveyancing on leasehold flats more often than not requires the buyer’s lawyer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer these enquiries the majority will be willing to do so. They are entitled charge a reasonable charge for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some cases it is above £800. The management information fee levied by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of rights and obligations in respect of administration charges, without which the charge is technically not due. In reality one has no option but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to complete the sale of your home.
After months of dialogue we cannot agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Harold Hill. Can we issue an application to the Residential Property Tribunal Service?
in cases where there is a absentee landlord or where there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the LVT to assess the sum to be paid.
An example of a Lease Extension case for a Harold Hill flat is 37 Lodge Court High Street in November 2013. the decision of the LVT was that the premium to be paid for the new lease was £25,559 This case was in relation to 1 flat. The unexpired lease term was 57.5 years.
Are there common problems that you encounter in leases for Harold Hill properties?
There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Harold Hill. All leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain sections are missing. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:
- A provision to repair to or maintain elements of the building
- 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 problems when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. National Westminster Bank, Bank of Scotland, and Britannia all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to provide security, obliging the purchaser to pull out.
Other Topics