I am hoping to exchange soon on a ground floor flat in Marylebone. Conveyancing solicitors have said that they will have a report out to me next week. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

• The unexpired lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease ends, and informed of the importance of the 80 year mark

Setting out your rights in relation to common areas in the block.By way of example, does the lease permit a right of way over a path or staircase?

Do you need to have carpet in the flat or are you allowed wood flooring?

Are pets allowed in 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

The landlord’s obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building

What options are open to you if a neighbour breach a clause of their lease? For details of the information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Marylebone please ask your conveyancer in advance of your conveyancing in Marylebone

I've recently bought a leasehold flat in Marylebone. Do I have any liability for 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).

What are your top tips when it comes to appointing a Marylebone conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Marylebone conveyancing practice) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you make enquires with several firms including non Marylebone conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be useful:

• If they are not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?

What are the charges for lease extension work?

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Marylebone from the perspective of expediting the sale process?

• Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Marylebone can be bypassed where you instruct lawyers the minute your agents start marketing the property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation needed by the purchasers’ conveyancers.
• The majority landlords or managing agents in Marylebone charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold homes. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the actual amount of the charges. The management pack can be applied for on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most common reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Marylebone.

In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s approval? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Marylebone state that internal structural alterations or addition of wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord approving such alterations. Where you fail to have the paperwork in place do not contact the landlord without checking with your solicitor in advance.

A minority of Marylebone leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to 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 financially capable of paying the yearly 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 service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their lawyers.

If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should ensure that you are holding the original share certificate. Organising a new share certificate can be a lengthy formality and delays many a Marylebone home move. If a duplicate share is needed, do contact the company officers or managing agents (where applicable) for this as soon as possible.

We expect to complete the sale of our £500000 maisonette in Marylebone in nine days. The freeholder has quoted £372 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and previous years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Marylebone?

Marylebone conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes normally results in fees being levied by management companies :

• Addressing conveyancing due diligence questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Marylebone
• 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 Marylebone leasehold property is £350. For Marylebone 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.

Following years of dialogue we are unable to agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Marylebone. Does the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal have jurisdiction to calculate the appropriate figures?

Where there is a absentee landlord or where there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the relevant statutes it is possible to make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to judgment on the premium.

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Marylebone premises is Flats 37 & 39 88/90 Portland Place in December 2010. The Tribunal determined that the premium payable for the lease extensions in respect of these two flats is as follows:- For Flat 37, the sum of £385,230.00 For Flat 39, the sum of £436,780.00 This case affected 2 flats. The the unexpired residue of the current lease was 24.02 years.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Marylebone