Experts for Leasehold Conveyancing in North Harrow

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While any conveyancing practice can theoretically deal with your leasehold conveyancing in North Harrow, your mortgage provider may not be willing to work with them if the firm are not on their list of approved solicitors for conveyancing

Sample questions relating to North Harrow leasehold conveyancing

My partner and I may need to sub-let our North Harrow 1st floor flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We used a North Harrow conveyancing firm in 2001 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time get any guidance as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

Some leases for properties in North Harrow 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 dictates 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.

Having checked my lease I have discovered that there are only 68 years unexpired on my lease in North Harrow. I now want to extend my lease but my landlord is missing. What are my options?

If you qualify, 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 granted an extra 90 years by the Court. You will be obliged to demonstrate that you have made all reasonable attempts to locate the freeholder. In some cases an enquiry agent should be helpful to try and locate and to produce a report to be accepted by the court as evidence that the landlord can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a solicitor both on investigating the landlord’s absence and the vesting order request to the County Court overseeing North Harrow.

Expecting to exchange soon on a leasehold property in North Harrow. Conveyancing lawyers inform me that they will have a report out to me on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in North Harrow 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 not letting the lease term falling below eighty years
  • The total extent of the premises. This will be the property itself but might incorporate a loft or cellar if applicable.
  • Does the lease require carpeting throughout thus preventing wood flooring?
  • Does the lease prevent you from subletting the property, or working from home
  • 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
  • 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 For details of the information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in North Harrow please enquire of your lawyer in ahead of your conveyancing in North Harrow

    • I am looking at a two apartments in North Harrow which have approximately forty five years remaining on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

    A lease is a right to use the premises for a period of time. As a lease gets shorter the marketability of the lease reduces and it becomes more expensive to extend the lease. For this reason it is generally wise to extend the lease term. It is often difficulties arise selling premises with a short lease because mortgage lenders may be unwilling to lend money on properties of this type. Lease extension can be a difficult process. We advise that you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field

    I am a negotiator for a long established estate agent office in North Harrow where we have witnessed a few flat sales put at risk due to short leases. I have been given contradictory information from local North Harrow conveyancing firms. Can you shed some light as to whether the vendor of a flat can instigate the lease extension formalities for the buyer?

    Provided that the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer need not have to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or simultaneously with completion of the sale.

    An alternative approach is to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

    Notwithstanding our best efforts, we have been unsuccessful in seeking a lease extension in North Harrow. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on premiums?

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

    An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a North Harrow flat is flat 93b Welldon Crescent in May 2009. The Tribunals valuation for a 90-year lease extension of this fat was £13,171 This case was in relation to 1 flat. The the number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 75.25 years.

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    Lease Extensions in North Harrow