Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Richmond:

Get a Quote

When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Richmond, you will need to appoint a conveyancing solicitor with leasehold experience. Whether your lender is to be Clydesdale , Birmingham Midshires or Nationwide be sure to choose a lawyer on their approved list. Find a Richmond conveyancing lawyer with our search tool

Common questions relating to Richmond leasehold conveyancing

Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Richmond. Before I set the wheels in motion I require certainty as to the unexpired term of the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and almost all are in Richmond - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title.For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

Harry (my fiance) and I may need to let out our Richmond 1st floor flat for a while due to a new job. We instructed a Richmond conveyancing firm in 2001 but they have closed and we did not have the foresight to get any guidance as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?

Even though your last Richmond conveyancing lawyer is no longer around you can review your lease to see if you are permitted to let out the apartment. The rule is that if the lease is silent, subletting is permitted. There may be a precondition that you must obtain permission from your landlord or some other party in advance of subletting. This means you not allowed to sublet without first obtaining consent. The consent should not be unreasonably turned down. If the lease does not allow you to sublet you will need to ask your landlord for their consent.

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my 2 bed apartment in Richmond.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a half-yearly service charge demand – Do I pay up?

Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should discharge the service charge 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.

Do you have any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Richmond with the intention of speeding up the sale process?

  • Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Richmond can be avoided if you appoint lawyers the minute you market your property and ask them to put together the leasehold information needed by the buyers lawyers.
  • Many landlords or managing agents in Richmond levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold homes. You or your lawyers should find out the actual amount of the charges. The management information can be applied for on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Richmond.
  • Some Richmond leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this applies to your lease, you should place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers put in hand financial (bank) and professional references. Any bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are financially capable of paying the annual 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 actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their solicitors.
  • If there is a history of conflict with your freeholder or managing agents it is very important that these are settled prior to the flat being marketed. The purchasers and their solicitors will be nervous about purchasing a flat where there is a current dispute. You may need to swallow your pride and pay any arrears of service charge or resolve the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal particulars of the dispute to the buyers, but it is better to present the dispute as over as opposed to unresolved.
  • You may think that you are aware of the number of years left on your lease but you should verify this via your solicitors. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to proceed with the purchase of a leasehold property the lease term is below 75 years. It is therefore essential at an early stage that you identify whether the lease term for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale.

    • All being well we will complete the sale of our £125000 apartment in Richmond in six days. The managing agents has quoted £300 for Certificate of Compliance, building insurance schedule and previous years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Richmond?

    Richmond conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes usually necessitates the purchaser’s conveyancer sending enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to answer these enquiries the majority will be content to do so. They may invoice a reasonable charge for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some cases it is in excess of £800. The management information fee required by the landlord must be accompanied by a summary of rights and obligations in relation to administration fees, otherwise the invoice is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that one has no choice but to pay whatever is requested of you if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

    Richmond Leasehold Conveyancing - A selection of Queries Prior to buying

      Who takes charge for maintaining and repairing the building? How is the lease structured? How many of the leaseholders are in arrears for their maintenance charge payments?