I am in need of some leasehold conveyancing in Knightsbridge. Before I set the wheels in motion I want to be sure as to the unexpired term of the lease.

If the lease is registered - and almost all are in Knightsbridge - 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.

You should [be sent a copy of the lease|receive a copy of the lease]

I am hoping to sign contracts shortly on a ground floor flat in Knightsbridge. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they will have a report out to me tomorrow. What should I be looking out for?

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

• The total extent of the premises. This will be the apartment itself but might include a loft or cellar if appropriate.
• An explanation as to the provision in the lease to pay service charges - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has
• Repair and maintenance of the flat
• Changes to the flat (alterations and additions)
• I don't know whether the lease allows me to alter or improve anything in the flat - you should know whether it applies to all alterations or just structural alteration, and whether consent is required
• Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice?
• Responsibility for repairing the window frames

For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Knightsbridge please enquire of your conveyancer in ahead of your conveyancing in Knightsbridge

I am attracted to a two flats in Knightsbridge which have approximately forty five years left on the leases. should I be concerned?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold apartment in Knightsbridge is a wasting asset as a result of the shortening lease. The nearer the lease gets to its expiry date, the more it adversely affects the value of the property. The majority of purchasers and mortgage companies, leases with less than eighty years become less and less marketable. On a more upbeat note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the premises for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a residence with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Knightsbridge conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that the agreed terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Knightsbridge with the purpose of expediting the sale process?

• Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Knightsbridge can be reduced if you get in touch lawyers as soon as your agents start advertising the property and ask them to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers conveyancers.
• The majority landlords or Management Companies in Knightsbridge charge for providing management packs for a leasehold homes. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management pack can be applied for 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 Knightsbridge.
• In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s permission? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Knightsbridge state that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such alterations. If you fail to have the approvals in place you should not communicate with the landlord without contacting your solicitor before hand.
• A minority of Knightsbridge leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this is the case, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers put in hand bank and professional references. The bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are able to meet the annual service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their solicitors.
• You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but you should double-check via your lawyers. A purchaser's conveyancer will not be happy to advise their client to where the lease term is under 80 years. It is therefore essential at an as soon as possible that you identify whether the lease term for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.

We expect to complete the sale of our £ 475000 flat in Knightsbridge in just under a week. The landlords agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Knightsbridge?

Knightsbridge conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes usually necessitates administration charges levied by management companies :

• Addressing pre-contract enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Knightsbridge
• Supplying insurance information
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Knightsbridge leasehold property is £350. For Knightsbridge 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 obliged to provide the information.

Having spent years of negotiations we cannot agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Knightsbridge. Can we issue an application to the Residential Property Tribunal Service?

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

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Knightsbridge premises is Flat 3 47 Cadogan Square in December 2010. the Tribunal determined that the premium payable to the landord by the leaseholder for the lease extension was £732,935 This case was in relation to 1 flat. The unexpired term was 13.33 years.

I acquired a leasehold flat in Knightsbridge, conveyancing having been completed 2005. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding flats in Knightsbridge with a long lease are worth £167,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 yearly. The lease expires on 21st October 2095

With just 69 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £9,500 and £11,000 plus costs.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive investigations. You should not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be additional concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward placing reliance on this information without first getting professional advice.