Recently asked questions relating to Knightsbridge leasehold conveyancing
Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Knightsbridge. Before I set the wheels in motion I require certainty as to the remaining lease term.
Assuming the lease is registered - and most 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.
Harry (my fiance) and I may need to sub-let our Knightsbridge 1st floor flat temporarily due to a new job. We used a Knightsbridge conveyancing firm in 2004 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to get any advice as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?
A small minority of properties in Knightsbridge do contain a provision to say that subletting is only permitted with prior consent from the landlord. The landlord is not entitled to unreasonably withhold but, in such cases, they would need to review references. Experience suggests that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting permission.
I've found a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great price which is making it more attractive. I have just discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues buying a house with a leasehold title in Knightsbridge. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed. Will they explain the issues?
Most houses in Knightsbridge are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are buying in Knightsbridge in which case you should be looking for a Knightsbridge conveyancing practitioner and check that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your conveyancer will advise you fully on all the issues.
I own a leasehold house in Knightsbridge. Conveyancing and Santander mortgage are in place. A letter has just been received from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing practitioner in Knightsbridge who acted for me is not around.Any advice?
First contact HMLR to make sure that this person is in fact the new freeholder. There is no need to incur the fees of a Knightsbridge conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for a few pound. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.
All being well we will complete the disposal of our £475000 flat in Knightsbridge in just under a week. The landlords agents has quoted £360 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Knightsbridge?
Knightsbridge conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes more often than not necessitates the purchaser’s conveyancer sending enquiries for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address such questions the majority will be content to do so. They are entitled charge a reasonable administration fee for answering questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it exceeds £800. The management information fee demanded by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in respect of administration charges, without which the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality you have little choice but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.
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?
if there is a missing landlord or if there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the LVT to arrive at the price payable.
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 affected 1 flat. The unexpired lease term was 13.33 years.
Other Topics