Guaranteed fixed fees for Leasehold Conveyancing in Sipson

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Recently asked questions relating to Sipson leasehold conveyancing

Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Sipson. Before I get started I want to be sure as to the remaining lease term.

Assuming the lease is recorded at the land registry - and almost all are in Sipson - then the leasehold title will always include the short particulars 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.

I only have Seventy years unexpired on my lease in Sipson. I need to extend my lease but my freeholder is missing. What options are available to me?

On the basis that you qualify, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 you can apply to the County Court for an order to dispense with the service of the initial notice. This will mean that your lease can be lengthened by the Court. However, you will be required to prove that you have made all reasonable attempts to find the lessor. On the whole a specialist may be useful to conduct investigations and to produce an expert document which can be accepted by the court as evidence that the freeholder can not be located. It is advisable to get professional help from a property lawyer both on proving the landlord’s disappearance and the vesting order request to the County Court covering Sipson.

I've found a house that appears to meet my requirements, at a great figure which is making it more attractive. I have since found out that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Sipson. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be instructed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Sipson are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Sipson so you should seriously consider shopping around for a Sipson conveyancing practitioner and check that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. Being a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions for example requiring the landlord’sconsent to carry out alterations. It may be necessary to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your lawyer will appraise you on the various issues.

I am a negotiator for a long established estate agency in Sipson where we have witnessed a number of leasehold sales put at risk as a result of short leases. I have been given conflicting advice from local Sipson conveyancing solicitors. Could you confirm whether the owner of a flat can instigate the lease extension formalities for the purchaser on completion of the sale?

As long as 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 buyer need not have to sit tight for 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment has to be done before, or simultaneously with completion of the disposal of the property.

An alternative approach is 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.

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Sipson from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?

  • A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Sipson can be avoided if you appoint lawyers the minute your agents start advertising the property and request that they start to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the purchasers’ lawyers.
  • The majority landlords or managing agents in Sipson charge for providing management packs for a leasehold homes. 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 average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most common cause of delay in leasehold conveyancing in Sipson.
  • In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Sipson leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or installing wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord consenting to such changes. If you dont have the approvals in place you should not communicate with the landlord without contacting your lawyer before hand.
  • If you have had any disputes with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are settled prior to the flat being put on the market. The buyers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where a dispute is unsettled. You will have to accept that you will have to 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 are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the buyers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as over as opposed to ongoing.
  • If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should make sure that you have the original share certificate. Arranging a duplicate share certificate can be a lengthy process and frustrates many a Sipson conveyancing transaction. Where a duplicate share is required, you should approach the company officers or managing agents (if relevant) for this sooner rather than later.

    • I am the proprietor of a basement flat in Sipson. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the premium due for a lease extension?

    You certainly can. We are happy to put you in touch with a Sipson conveyancing firm who can help.

    An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement decision for a Sipson residence is 164 Nestles Avenue in October 2013. The tribunal agreed with the proposed price of £20,158 for the freehold and determined that that sum is the amount to be paid into court This case was in relation to 2 flats. The the unexpired term as at the valuation date was 69 years.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Sipson