Poplar leasehold conveyancing: Q and A’s
Due to complete next month on a studio apartment in Poplar. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they are sending me a report on Monday. What should I be looking out for?
Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Poplar should include some of the following:
- Will you be prohibited or prevented from having pets in the property?
I today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Poplar. Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Poplar ?
The majority of houses in Poplar are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Poplar so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Poplar conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in transacting on leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the landlord’spermission to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the communal areas where the property is located on an estate. Your lawyer will report to you on the legal implications.
I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of flats in Poplar both have approximately 50 years remaining on the lease term. Will this present a problem?
There is no doubt about it. A leasehold apartment in Poplar is a wasting asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The closer the lease gets to its expiry date, the more it reduces the salability of the property. For most buyers and lenders, leases with less than 75 years become less and less marketable. On a more upbeat note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the property for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of property with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Poplar conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. A more straightforward and quicker method of extending would be to contact your landlord directly and sound him out on the prospect of extending the lease They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that the agreed terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.
What advice can you give us when it comes to finding a Poplar conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?
When appointing a conveyancer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Poplar conveyancing firm) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We advise that you speak with two or three firms including non Poplar conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be useful:
- How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?
Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Poplar from the perspective of expediting the sale process?
- A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Poplar can be reduced if you instruct lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers lawyers.
- The majority landlords or managing agents in Poplar charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should find out the actual amount of the charges. The management pack can be applied for on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most common cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Poplar.
I inherited a a ground floor purpose built flat in Poplar. Given that I can not reach agreement with the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the sum due for the purchase of the freehold?
if there is a absentee landlord or if there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the LVT to judgment on the price.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Poplar residence is 12, 14 & 16 Hull Close in May 2010. the Tribunal determined that the premium payable for the acquisition of the freehold to the subject premises was the sum of £18,300 This case was in relation to 3 flats. The unexpired lease term was 101.61 years.
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