Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Oakwood. Before I get started I would like to find out the number of years remaining on the lease.

Assuming the lease is registered - and almost all are in Oakwood - 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.

Estate agents have just been given the go-ahead to market my basement flat in Oakwood.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just had a quarterly service charge demand – should I leave it to the buyer to sort out?

It best that you 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 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. Having a clear account will assist your cause and will leave you no worse off financially.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to tick a lot of boxes, at a great price which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently been informed that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I would have thought that there are issues purchasing a leasehold house in Oakwood. Conveyancing advisers have not yet been appointed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Oakwood ?

The majority of houses in Oakwood are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer used to dealing with such properties who can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are buying in Oakwood so you should seriously consider looking for a Oakwood conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. First you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as obtaining the freeholder’spermission to carry out alterations. It may be necessary to pay a maintenance charge towards the maintenance of the estate where the house is located on an estate. Your lawyer should appraise you on the various issues.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a two maisonettes in Oakwood which have about 50 years unexpired on the lease term. 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 gets shorter the value of the lease deteriorate and it becomes more expensive to extend the lease. This is why it is often a good idea to extend the lease term. More often than not it is difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage lenders may be unwilling to lend money on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a difficult process. We advise that you seek professional help from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area

If all goes to plan we aim to complete the sale of our £ 175000 maisonette in Oakwood in 10 days. The landlords agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and 3 years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Oakwood?

Oakwood conveyancing on leasehold apartments nine out of ten times results in fees being invoiced by freeholders :

• Completing pre-contract enquiries
• Where consent is required before sale in Oakwood
• 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 conveyancer will have no control over the level of the charges for this information but the average costs for the information for Oakwood leasehold property is £350. For Oakwood 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 required to supply answers.

Oakwood Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Queries before Purchasing

The answer will be useful as a) areas could cause problems for the block as the common areas may begin to deteriorate where maintenance remain unpaid b) if the leasehold owners have an issue with the running of the building you will want to know about it Its a good idea to find out as much as possible regarding the company managing the block as they will affect your use and enjoyment of the property. Being a leasehold owner you are frequently in the clutches of the managing agents from a financial perspective and when it comes to practical matters such as the upkeep of the common parts. Ask other people what they think of their service. Finally, investigate as to the dates that the service fees are due to the appropriate party and specifically how they are spending that money.