Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Sawston:

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Leasehold conveyancing in Sawston is more complex than freehold. Your home move will be smoother where you choose a lawyer with a wealth of experience of leasehold conveyancing in Sawston and across next step up in loc. The lawyers we recommend have been approved by your lender so use our search tool to check.

Sawston leasehold conveyancing: Q and A’s

I wish to sublet my leasehold flat in Sawston. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask her. Is permission from the freeholder required?

The lease dictates the relationship between the freeholder and you the leaseholder; in particular, it will indicate if subletting is not allowed, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The rule is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is allowed. The majority of leases in Sawston do not contain an absolute prevention of subletting – such a clause would adversely affect the market value the property. In most cases there is simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a copy of the tenancy agreement.

I've found a house that seems to be perfect, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have since discovered that the title is leasehold rather than freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a leasehold house in Sawston. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Sawston ?

The majority of houses in Sawston are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Sawston in which case you should be looking for a Sawston conveyancing solicitor and check that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a lessee you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions for example requiring the freeholder’sconsent to conduct changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your conveyancer will appraise you on the various issues.

I've recently bought a leasehold flat in Sawston. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to completion of my purchase?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

What are your top tips when it comes to appointing a Sawston conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

If you are instructing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Sawston conveyancing practice) it is essential that he or she should be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We advise that you make enquires with two or three firms including non Sawston conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be helpful:

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

    • Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Sawston from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Sawston can be reduced if you instruct lawyers as soon as your agents start advertising the property and request that they start to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ solicitors.
    • If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s approval? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Sawston state that internal structural alterations or addition of wooden flooring calls for a licence from the Landlord acquiescing to such works. If you fail to have the paperwork in place do not contact the landlord without checking with your conveyancer before hand.
  • Some Sawston leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers put in hand bank and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the annual 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.
  • If you have had any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are settled before the property is marketed. The buyers and their solicitors will be reluctant to purchase a property where a dispute is ongoing. You may have to bite the bullet and pay any arrears of service charge or settle the dispute prior to completion of the sale. It is therefore preferable to have any dispute settled prior to the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You are still duty bound to disclose details of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is better to present the dispute as historic rather than unsettled.
  • If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should ensure that you hold the original share document. Organising a duplicate share certificate is often a time consuming process and frustrates many a Sawston home move. Where a new share certificate is needed, do contact the company officers or managing agents (if relevant) for this at the earliest opportunity.

    • I own a 1 bedroom flat in Sawston, conveyancing was carried out in 2003. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Comparable flats in Sawston with an extended lease are worth £190,000. The ground rent is £60 invoiced every year. The lease ends on 21st October 2078

    With only 53 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £35,200 and £40,600 as well as legals.

    The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information before getting professional advice.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Sawston