Questions and Answers: New Eltham leasehold conveyancing
I only have 62 years left on my lease in New Eltham. I need to get lease extension but my landlord is missing. What should I do?
If you meet the appropriate requirements, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be extended by the magistrate. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you have used your best endeavours to locate the landlord. In some cases a specialist may be useful to try and locate and prepare a report which can be used as evidence that the landlord is indeed missing. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor both on investigating the landlord’s disappearance and the application to the County Court covering New Eltham.
Planning to complete next month on a ground floor flat in New Eltham. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they will have a report out to me next week. What should I be looking out for?
The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in New Eltham should include some of the following:
- The physical extent of the demise. This will be the property itself but might include a roof space or basement if applicable.
I’m about to sell my ground floor flat in New Eltham.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just received a yearly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?
Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should discharge 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.
My wife and I purchased a leasehold house in New Eltham. Conveyancing and TSB mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold. Attached was a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1994. The conveyancing practitioner in New Eltham who acted for me is not around.Do I pay?
First make enquiries of HMLR to be sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to incur the fees of a New Eltham conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. You should note that regardless, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.
Can you offer any advice when it comes to choosing a New Eltham conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?
If you are instructing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a New Eltham conveyancing firm) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you make enquires with several firms including non New Eltham conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be of use:
- How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation?
Despite our best endeavours, we have been unsuccessful in negotiating a lease extension in New Eltham. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?
Where there is a absentee landlord or where there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the relevant statutes you can apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to calculate the premium.
An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a New Eltham premises is 103a Footscray Road in January 2014. The tribunal determines that the premium payable for the extended lease should be £34,500 according to the expert witness valuation calculation This case was in relation to 1 flat.
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