Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Ilford:

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When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Ilford, you will need to chose a conveyancing solicitor with leasehold experience. Whether your mortgage company is to be Santander, RBS or Nationwide be sure to find a lawyer on their panel. Find a Ilford conveyancing lawyer with our search tool

Examples of recent questions relating to leasehold conveyancing in Ilford

Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Ilford. Before diving in I require certainty as to the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and 99.9% are in Ilford - 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.

I've found a house that seems to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have just been informed that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Ilford. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

The majority of houses in Ilford are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Ilford in which case you should be shopping around for a Ilford conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. Being a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as obtaining the landlord’spermission to conduct changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should report to you on the legal implications.

I've recently bought a leasehold property in Ilford. 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. However, 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 be sure 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).

Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Ilford from the point of view of saving time on the sale process?

  • A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Ilford can be avoided if you instruct lawyers the minute your agents start advertising the property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers representatives.
  • The majority freeholders or managing agents in Ilford levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should find out the actual amount of the charges. The management information sought as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most usual reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Ilford.
  • In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Ilford leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord approving such works. Where you fail to have the paperwork in place you should not communicate with the landlord without checking with your conveyancer in advance.
  • If you have the benefit of shareholding in the Management Company, you should make sure that you hold the original share document. Obtaining a re-issued share certificate is often a time consuming process and delays many a Ilford conveyancing transaction. Where a duplicate share is necessary, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (if relevant) for this at the earliest opportunity.
  • You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be advisable double-check via your solicitors. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the remaining number of years is less than 75 years. It is therefore essential at an early stage that you consider whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.

    • We expect to complete our sale of a £450000 flat in Ilford on Friday in a week. The management company has quoted £384 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Ilford?

    Ilford conveyancing on leasehold apartments often requires the buyer’s solicitor sending questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address 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 upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some situations it is above £800. The management information fee levied by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of rights and obligations in relation to administration fees, without which the charge is technically not due. Reality however dictates that one has no option but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to sell the property.

    I own a ground-floor 1950’s flat in Ilford. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the amount payable for a lease extension?

    Most definitely. We can put you in touch with a Ilford conveyancing firm who can help.

    An example of a Lease Extension case for a Ilford flat is 49 Aldborough Road South in July 2012. The Tribunal decided that the premium payable for the grant of the new lease was £13,925 This case related to 1 flat. The the number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 61.36 years.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Ilford