Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Shirehampton:

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Leasehold conveyancing in Shirehampton 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 Shirehampton and next step up in loc. The lawyers we recommend have been approved by your lender so use our search tool to check.

Common questions relating to Shirehampton leasehold conveyancing

Frank (my husband) and I may need to sub-let our Shirehampton 1st floor flat temporarily due to a new job. We used a Shirehampton conveyancing practice in 2002 but they have closed and we did not think at the time get any guidance as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

Some leases for properties in Shirehampton do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord cannot unreasonably refuse but, in such cases, they would need to see references. Experience suggests that problems are usually caused by unsatisfactory tenants rather than owner-occupiers and for that reason you can expect the freeholder to take up the references and consider them carefully before granting permission.

Due to sign contracts shortly on a leasehold property in Shirehampton. Conveyancing solicitors assured me that they will have a report out to me tomorrow. What should I be looking out for?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Shirehampton should include some of the following:

  • Does the lease prohibit wood flooring?
  • You should be told what constitutes a Nuisance in the lease
  • Whether your lease has a provision for a reserve fund?
  • 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.
  • The landlord’s obligations to repair and maintain the building. It is important that you know who is responsible for the repair and maintenance of every part of the building
  • What the implications are if you breach a clause of your lease? For details of the information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Shirehampton please enquire of your lawyer in ahead of your conveyancing in Shirehampton

    • What advice can you give us when it comes to choosing a Shirehampton conveyancing firm to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

    When appointing a property lawyer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a Shirehampton conveyancing practice) it is most important that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of conveyancing. We recommend that you speak with several firms including non Shirehampton conveyancing practices prior to instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be useful:

    • If they are not ALEP accredited then what is the reason?
  • What are the costs for lease extension work?

    • Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Shirehampton from the perspective of speeding up the sale process?

    • Much of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Shirehampton can be bypassed where you get in touch lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers representatives.
    • If you have carried out any alterations to the residence would they have required Landlord’s consent? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Most leases in Shirehampton state that internal structural alterations or installing wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord consenting to such works. Should you dont have the paperwork to hand do not communicate with the landlord without checking with your solicitor first.
  • Some Shirehampton leases require Landlord’s consent to the sale and approval of the buyers. If this is the case, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain bank and professional references. Any bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is financially capable of paying 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.
  • If there is a history of conflict with your freeholder or managing agents it is essential that these are resolved prior to the flat being put on the market. The purchasers and their solicitors will be nervous about purchasing a property where a dispute is ongoing. You may need to swallow your pride and discharge 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 purchasers, but it is clearly preferable to present the dispute as historic as opposed to unsettled.
  • If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should ensure that you hold the original share certificate. Organising a duplicate share certificate can be a lengthy process and slows down many a Shirehampton home move. If a reissued share certificate is required, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (where relevant) for this at the earliest opportunity.

    • What makes a Shirehampton lease unacceptable for security purposes?

    There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Shirehampton. Most leases is drafted differently and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain sections are missing. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

    • Repairing obligations to or maintain parts of the premises
    • Insurance obligations
    • Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
    • Service charge per centages that don't add up correctly leaving a shortfall

    A defective lease will likely cause issues when trying to sell a property as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. National Westminster Bank, The Mortgage Works, and Barclays Direct all have very detailed conveyancing instructions when it comes to what is expected in a lease. If a mortgage lender believes that the lease is defective they may refuse to grant the mortgage, obliging the buyer to withdraw.

    I invested in buying a ground floor flat in Shirehampton, conveyancing formalities finalised 7 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Shirehampton with a long lease are worth £218,000. The ground rent is £50 yearly. The lease ends on 21st October 2077

    You have 52 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £31,400 and £36,200 as well as professional fees.

    The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other concerns that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Shirehampton