Experts for Leasehold Conveyancing in Upper Norwood

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Any conveyancing practice can theoretically deal with your leasehold conveyancing in Upper Norwood, your mortgage provider may not be willing to work with them if the firm are not on their list of approved solicitors for conveyancing

Common questions relating to Upper Norwood leasehold conveyancing

I want to rent out my leasehold flat in Upper Norwood. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask her. Is permission from the freeholder required?

Even though your previous Upper Norwood conveyancing solicitor is not available you can check your lease to see if it allows you to sublet the property. The rule is that if the deeds are non-specific, subletting is allowed. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you are obliged to seek permission from your landlord or other appropriate person before subletting. The net result is that you cannot sublet without prior consent. The consent is not allowed to be unreasonably turned down. If your lease prohibits you from letting out the property you should ask your landlord for their consent.

I have just appointed agents to market my basement apartment in Upper Norwood.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just had a quarterly service charge invoice – what should I do?

It best that you discharge the invoice 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 unless 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I own a leasehold house in Upper Norwood. Conveyancing and Halifax mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the reversionary interest in the property. It included a demand for arrears of ground rent dating back to 1996. The conveyancing practitioner in Upper Norwood who previously acted has long since retired.Any advice?

The first thing you should do is contact the Land Registry to be sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. You do not need to incur the fees of a Upper Norwood conveyancing firm to do this as it can be done on-line for a few pound. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Upper Norwood conveyancing practice to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a solicitor for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Upper Norwood conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you speak with several firms including non Upper Norwood conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be useful:

  • Can they put you in touch with client in Upper Norwood who can give a testimonial?
  • What are the legal fees for lease extension conveyancing?

    • Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Upper Norwood with the intention of saving time on the sale process?

    • Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Upper Norwood can be bypassed where you get in touch lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to collate the leasehold information which will be required by the buyers conveyancers.
    • Many freeholders or Management Companies in Upper Norwood 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 pack sought on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most common cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Upper Norwood.
  • Some Upper Norwood leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. 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. 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 actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their solicitors.
  • If you are supposed to have a share in the Management Company, you should ensure that you hold the original share document. Arranging a duplicate share certificate is often a time consuming formality and slows down many a Upper Norwood home move. If a duplicate share certificate is needed, do contact the company officers or managing agents (if relevant) for this sooner rather than later.
  • You believe that you know the number of years remaining on your lease but you should verify this by asking your lawyers. A buyer’s lawyer will be unlikely to recommend their client to where the lease term is less than 80 years. In the circumstances it is important at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your home on the market for sale.

    • I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord to extend my lease without getting anywhere. Can the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal adjudicate on such matters? Can you recommend a Upper Norwood conveyancing firm to help?

    Most certainly. We are happy to put you in touch with a Upper Norwood conveyancing firm who can help.

    An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Upper Norwood premises is Flats 55, 67 & 70 Melbourne Court Anerley Road in July 2013. The tribunal calculated that the premium for the extended lease at £48,366.00 for at 55, and £88,329.00 for ats 67 and 70 combined. This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired lease term was 26.38 years.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Upper Norwood