Expecting to complete next month on a basement flat in Shepherd's Bush. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they are sending me a report tomorrow. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Shepherd's Bush should include some of the following:

• You should receive a copy of the lease

Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord

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

You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions

Repair and maintenance of the flat

The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide.

Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your premises and do you know what it means in practice? For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Shepherd's Bush please enquire of your conveyancer in ahead of your conveyancing in Shepherd's Bush

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a reasonable figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since found out that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Shepherd's Bush. Conveyancing advisers have not yet been instructed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Shepherd's Bush ?

The majority of houses in Shepherd's Bush are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are buying in Shepherd's Bush in which case you should be shopping around for a Shepherd's Bush conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease comes with conditions for example obtaining the landlord’spermission to conduct alterations. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your solicitor should appraise you on the various issues.

What are your top tips when it comes to finding a Shepherd's Bush conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Shepherd's Bush conveyancing firm) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you make enquires with several firms including non Shepherd's Bush conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions might be of use:

• How familiar is the firm with lease extension legislation?

What are the costs for lease extension work?

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Shepherd's Bush from the point of view of expediting the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Shepherd's Bush can be avoided if you get in touch lawyers as soon as your agents start marketing the property and request that they start to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers lawyers.
• The majority landlords or managing agents in Shepherd's Bush charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management pack can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most frequent reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Shepherd's Bush.

In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s consent? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Shepherd's Bush leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring necessitate a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such works. If you dont have the approvals to hand you should not communicate with the landlord without contacting your lawyer in the first instance.

Some Shepherd's Bush leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, you should place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers put in hand financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the yearly 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 service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their solicitors.

You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be advisable double-check via your conveyancers. A purchaser's lawyer will not be happy to advise their client to where the lease term is less than 80 years. In the circumstances it is important 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 property on the market for sale.

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the disposal of our £225000 apartment in Shepherd's Bush next Thursday . The landlords agents has quoted £348 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and previous years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Shepherd's Bush?

For the majority of leasehold sales in Shepherd's Bush conveyancing will involve, queries regarding the management of a building inevitably needing to be answered directly by the freeholder or its agent, this includes :

• Completing conveyancing due diligence questions
• Where consent is required before sale in Shepherd's Bush
• Copies of the building insurance and schedule
• Deeds of covenant upon sale
• Registering of the assignment of the change of lessee after a sale

Your solicitor will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Shepherd's Bush leasehold property is £350. For Shepherd's Bush conveyancing transactions it is customary for the seller to pay for these costs. The landlord or their agents are under no legal obligation to answer such questions most will be willing to do so - albeit often at exorbitant prices where the fees bear little relation to the work involved. Unfortunately there is no law that requires fixed charges for administrative tasks. Neither is there any legal time frame by which they are obliged to provide the information.

Having spent months of negotiations we simply can't agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Shepherd's Bush. Can we issue an application to the Residential Property Tribunal Service?

You certainly can. We are happy to put you in touch with a Shepherd's Bush conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement decision for a Shepherd's Bush flat is 82 Minford Gardens in February 2009. The Tribunal determined that the enfranchisement price was £37,341 This case was in relation to 2 flats. The the unexpired residue of the current lease was 72.92 years.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in Shepherd's Bush