I have just started marketing my basement apartment in Kingston Vale.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just had a yearly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is clear the service charge 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 managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in Kingston Vale. Conveyancing and Nationwide Building Society mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing practitioner in Kingston Vale who acted for me is not around.What should I do?

First contact the Land Registry to be sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. There is no need to incur the fees of a Kingston Vale conveyancing solicitor to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I am looking at a two apartments in Kingston Vale both have in the region of forty five years remaining on the lease term. should I be concerned?

There are plenty of short leases in Kingston Vale. The lease is a right to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As the lease gets shorter the marketability of the lease deteriorate and it becomes more expensive to extend the lease. This is why it is generally wise to increase the term of the lease. Sometimes it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage companies less inclined to grant a loan on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a protracted process. We recommend you seek professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this arena

What are your top tips when it comes to choosing a Kingston Vale conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Kingston Vale conveyancing practice) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you make enquires with several firms including non Kingston Vale conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions might be helpful:

• Can they put you in touch with client in Kingston Vale who can give a testimonial?
• What are the costs for lease extension work?

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the sale of our £ 325000 apartment in Kingston Vale next Wednesday . The freeholder has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Kingston Vale?

Kingston Vale conveyancing on leasehold flats usually results in administration charges invoiced by managing agents :

• Addressing conveyancing due diligence enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Kingston Vale
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your lawyer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Kingston Vale leasehold property is £350. For Kingston Vale conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are required to provide answers.

I am the leaseholder of a garden flat in Kingston Vale. In the absence of agreement between myself and the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the amount payable for a lease extension?

Most definitely. We are happy to put you in touch with a Kingston Vale conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Kingston Vale flat is 19 St. Margarets Crescent in August 2010. the tribunal was of the view that the premium to be paid by the leaseholder for the freehold reversion was £51,983.00 This case was in relation to 3 flats. The remaining number of years on the lease was 66.25 years.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Kingston Vale - A selection of Queries before buying

It would be sensible to find out if the the lease contains any unreasonable restrictions in the lease. For instance it is reasonably common in Kingston Vale leases that pets are not permitted in certain buildings in Kingston Vale. If you love the propertyin Kingston Vale however your cat can’t live with you then you have a very hard compromise.