Experts for Leasehold Conveyancing in Rotherhithe

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

Recently asked questions relating to Rotherhithe leasehold conveyancing

Planning to sign contracts shortly on a garden flat in Rotherhithe. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they are sending me a report within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

  • You should receive a copy of the lease
  • The unexpired lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and informed of the importance of not letting the lease term falling below eighty years
  • Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord
  • Are pets allowed in the flat?
  • Whether the lease restricts you from letting out the flat, or having a home office for business
  • You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
  • Responsibility for repairing the window frames For details of the information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Rotherhithe please ask your lawyer in advance of your conveyancing in Rotherhithe

    • Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my basement apartment in Rotherhithe.Conveyancing is yet to be initiated but I have just had a quarterly service charge invoice – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

    Your conveyancing lawyer is likely to suggest that you should pay 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 managing agents 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.

    My wife and I purchased a leasehold flat in Rotherhithe. Conveyancing and Leeds Building Society mortgage organised. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1997. The conveyancing solicitor in Rotherhithe who previously acted has long since retired.What should I do?

    The first thing you should do is make enquiries of the Land Registry to make sure that the individual claiming to own the freehold is indeed the registered owner of the freehold reversion. There is no need to instruct a Rotherhithe conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that regardless, even if this is the legitimate freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

    I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two flats in Rotherhithe which have approximately fifty years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?

    A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the property for a prescribed time frame. As a lease shortens the value of the lease deteriorate and it becomes more costly to extend the lease. This is why it is advisable to extend the lease term. Sometimes it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease because mortgage companies may be unwilling to lend money on properties of this type. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We advise that you get professional assistance from a conveyancer and surveyor with experience in this field

    What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Rotherhithe conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

    If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Rotherhithe conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Rotherhithe 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:

    • How familiar is the practice with lease extension legislation?
  • Can they put you in touch with client in Rotherhithe who can give a testimonial?

    • I own a garden flat in Rotherhithe. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the sum due for the purchase of the freehold?

    Absolutely. We are happy to put you in touch with a Rotherhithe conveyancing firm who can help.

    An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement decision for a Rotherhithe premises 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 related to 3 flats. The unexpired term was 101.61 years.