Sample questions relating to Sanderstead leasehold conveyancing
Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Sanderstead. Before I get started I would like to find out the unexpired term of the lease.
If the lease is recorded at the land registry - and 99.9% are in Sanderstead - 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.
Helen (my wife) and I may need to sub-let our Sanderstead 1st floor flat for a while due to a career opportunity. We instructed a Sanderstead conveyancing practice in 2002 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to seek any guidance as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?
Some leases for properties in Sanderstead do contain a provision to say that subletting is only permitted with prior consent from the landlord. The landlord is not entitled to unreasonably refuse but, in such cases, they would need to see references. Experience suggests 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.
Expecting to complete next month on a garden flat in Sanderstead. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they report fully next week. What should I be looking out for?
The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Sanderstead should include some of the following:
- You should receive a copy of the lease
I work for a long established estate agency in Sanderstead where we have witnessed a few flat sales jeopardised due to short leases. I have been given conflicting advice from local Sanderstead conveyancing firms. Can you confirm whether the seller of a flat can initiate the lease extension process 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 commence the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the proposed purchaser need not have to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done prior to, or simultaneously with completion of the disposal of the property.
Alternatively, it may be possible 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 buyer.
I have attempted and failed to negotiate with my landlord to extend my lease without getting anywhere. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on such issues? Can you recommend a Sanderstead conveyancing firm to represent me?
Where there is a missing freeholder or if there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the LVT to arrive at the amount due.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a Sanderstead property is The Woodlands 95 Purley Park Road in April 2009. The Tribunals own valuation produced the figure of £37,912. This case affected 6 flats. The unexpired term was 78.32 years.
In relation to leasehold conveyancing in Sanderstead what are the most common lease defects?
There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Sanderstead. Most leases are individual and drafting errors can result in certain provisions are wrong. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:
- Repairing obligations to or maintain elements of the premises
- A duty to insure the building
- A provision for the recovery of money spent for the benefit of another party.
- Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage
A defective lease can cause issues when trying to sell a property primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Barclays , Coventry Building Society, and Platform Home Loans Ltd all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease is problematic they may refuse to provide security, forcing the buyer to withdraw.
Other Topics