Frequently asked questions relating to Hornsey leasehold conveyancing
I am on look out for some leasehold conveyancing in Hornsey. Before I set the wheels in motion I want to be sure as to the remaining lease term.
Assuming the lease is registered - and almost all are in Hornsey - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details 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.
Due to sign contracts shortly on a garden flat in Hornsey. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they report fully on Monday. What should I be looking out for?
The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Hornsey should include some of the following:
- Defining your legal entitlements in respect of the communal areas in the building.By way of example, does the lease include a right of way over an accessway or staircase?
Last month I purchased a leasehold house in Hornsey. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?
In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner 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. It is an essential part 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 a negotiator for a busy estate agent office in Hornsey where we see a few leasehold sales derailed due to leases having less than 80 years remaining. I have been given conflicting advice from local Hornsey conveyancing solicitors. Can you clarify whether the seller of a flat can start the lease extension process for the purchaser on completion of the sale?
As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser can avoid having to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or at the same time as completion of the disposal of the property.
An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.
If all goes to plan we aim to complete our sale of a £400000 flat in Hornsey next week. The landlords agents has quoted £324 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Hornsey?
Hornsey conveyancing on leasehold flats often involves the buyer’s lawyer submitting questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address such questions most will be content to assist. They may levy a reasonable administration fee for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some situations it is in excess of £800. The management information fee demanded by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of rights and obligations in respect of administration fees, without which the invoice is technically not due. Reality however dictates that you have no option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to complete the sale of your home.
I have given up trying to purchase the freehold in Hornsey. Can this matter be resolved via the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal?
Where there is a missing landlord or where there is dispute about the premium for a lease extension, under the relevant statutes you can apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to make a decision on the price.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Hornsey property is 7 Aubrey Road in December 2010. By an order of the county court on 15/12/2009 the freehold interest inthe Property known as 7 Aubrey Road London N8 9HH (the Property) and registered at HM Land Registry under title number MX439124 was vested in the applicants. The Tribunal calculated that the total enfranchisement premium, assessed in accordance with Schedule 6 to the Act, was £54,633. This case related to 3 flats. The the unexpired residue of the current lease was 73.27 years.
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