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

Planning to exchange soon on a basement flat in Maida Vale. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they are sending me a report within the next couple of days. What should I be looking out for?

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

• Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, freeholder
• Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this is subject to change
• 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
• You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
• Repair and maintenance of the flat
• 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 premises and do you know what it means in practice?

For details of the information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Maida Vale please ask your conveyancer in advance of your conveyancing in Maida Vale

I have just appointed agents to market my ground floor flat in Maida Vale.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just had a quarterly maintenance charge demand – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

The sensible thing to do is clear the invoice 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 management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until 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. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I've found a house that seems to be perfect, at a reasonable price which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Maida Vale. Conveyancing advisers have not yet been instructed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Maida Vale are freehold and not leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Maida Vale so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Maida Vale conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a leaseholder you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the freeholder’sconsent to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor will appraise you on the various issues.

Completion in due on the sale of our £ 175000 apartment in Maida Vale on Wednesday in a week. The freeholder has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in Maida Vale?

Maida Vale conveyancing on leasehold apartments nine out of ten times necessitates fees being levied by management companies :

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

Your conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Maida Vale leasehold property is £350. For Maida 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 supply the information.

I have had difficulty in trying to purchase the freehold in Maida Vale. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?

Most certainly. We can put you in touch with a Maida Vale conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Maida Vale property is 4 & 4A Charteris Road in June 2009. the Tribunal held that the price to be paid for the enfranchisement of 4/4a Charteris Road to be £15,510 for at 4and £15,694 for at 4a This case related to 2 flats. The the number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 70.02 years.

When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Maida Vale what are the most frequent lease problems?

There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Maida Vale. All leases are individual and legal mistakes in the legal wording can sometimes mean that certain sections are missing. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

• Repairing obligations to or maintain elements of the building
• A duty to insure the building
• A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
• Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

You may encounter a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Barclays , Barnsley Building Society, and Nottingham Building Society all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is defective they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the buyer to withdraw.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Maida Vale - Sample of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

Where a Maida Vale lease has less than eighty years it will have adverse implications on the marketability of the flat. It is worth checking with your lender that they are happy with residual term of the lease. A short lease means that you will almost definitely require a lease extension sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of what this would cost. For most Maida Valelease extensions you will be required to have been the owner of the residence for 24 months before you are eligible to carry out a lease extension. Best to be warned whether fixing the lift or some other significant cost is due in the near future to be shared amongst the tenants and will materially impact the level of the service fees or necessitate a one time payment.