Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Stanford Le Hope:

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Any conveyancing solicitor can theoretically handle your leasehold conveyancing in Stanford Le Hope, your mortgage provider may unwilling to work with them if the firm are not on their list of approved solicitors for conveyancing

Top Five Questions relating to Stanford Le Hope leasehold conveyancing

I would like to let out my leasehold flat in Stanford Le Hope. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask him. Do I need to ask my freeholder for permission?

Your lease governs relations between the landlord and you the flat owner; specifically, it will indicate if subletting is prohibited, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The rule is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is allowed. The majority of leases in Stanford Le Hope do not contain subletting altogether – such a provision would undoubtedly devalue the flat. In most cases there is simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly sending a duplicate of the sublease.

I have just appointed agents to market my garden apartment in Stanford Le Hope.Conveyancing has not commenced but I have just received a yearly service charge demand – what should I do?

The sensible thing to do is clear 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 management companies 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.

Last month I purchased a leasehold flat in Stanford Le Hope. Am I liable to pay service charges for periods before my ownership?

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. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure 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).

I am a negotiator for a busy estate agency in Stanford Le Hope where we have witnessed a few leasehold sales jeopardised as a result of short leases. I have received inconsistent advice from local Stanford Le Hope conveyancing firms. Please can you clarify whether the owner of a flat can initiate the lease extension process for the buyer?

As long as the seller has been the owner for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to kick-start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer can avoid having to wait 2 years to extend their lease. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed prior to, or at the same time as completion of the sale.

Alternatively, it may be possible to agree the lease extension with the freeholder 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 purchaser.

Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Stanford Le Hope with the aim of speeding up the sale process?

  • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Stanford Le Hope can be avoided where you get in touch lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers representatives.
  • The majority landlords or managing agents in Stanford Le Hope levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the actual amount of the charges. The management information sought as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most usual reason for frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Stanford Le Hope.
  • In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s permission? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Stanford Le Hope leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or addition of wooden flooring necessitate a licence issued by the Landlord acquiescing to such works. If you dont have the consents to hand do not communicate with the landlord without checking with your lawyer in the first instance.
  • If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should make sure that you hold the original share certificate. Arranging a duplicate share certificate is often a time consuming formality and delays many a Stanford Le Hope conveyancing transaction. Where a reissued share certificate is needed, do contact the company officers or managing agents (where applicable) for this sooner rather than later.
  • You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but it would be advisable double-check by asking your solicitors. A buyer’s conveyancer will not be happy to advise their client to to exchange contracts if the lease term is under 80 years. In the circumstances it is important at an early stage that you identify whether the lease term requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your property on the market for sale.

    • I inherited a basement flat in Stanford Le Hope, conveyancing formalities finalised half a dozen years ago. How much will my lease extension cost? Corresponding properties in Stanford Le Hope with a long lease are worth £167,000. The ground rent is £65 invoiced annually. The lease finishes on 21st October 2089

    You have 66 years remaining on your lease we estimate the premium for your lease extension to be between £12,400 and £14,200 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

    The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of detailed due diligence. Do not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information before seeking the advice of a professional.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Stanford Le Hope