Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Teignmouth:

While any conveyancing practice can theoretically deal with your leasehold conveyancing in Teignmouth, your mortgage provider may unwilling to work with them if the firm are not on their list of approved solicitors for conveyancing

Teignmouth leasehold conveyancing: Q and A’s

Harry (my fiance) and I may need to rent out our Teignmouth basement flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Teignmouth conveyancing firm in 2001 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to get any advice as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

A lease governs the relationship between the landlord and you the flat owner; in particular, it will indicate if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The rule is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. Most leases in Teignmouth do not prevent subletting altogether – such a provision would adversely affect the market value the property. Instead, there is usually 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 reasonable price which is making it all the more appealing. I have just been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns buying a house with a leasehold title in Teignmouth. Conveyancing advisers have are about to be appointed. Will they explain the issues?

Most houses in Teignmouth are freehold and not leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. it is apparent that you are purchasing in Teignmouth so you should seriously consider looking for a Teignmouth conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in advising on leasehold houses. First you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a leaseholder you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease will likely included provisions for example obtaining the landlord’sconsent to carry out alterations. You may also be required to pay a maintenance charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the property is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should appraise you on the various issues.

What advice can you give us when it comes to appointing a Teignmouth conveyancing firm to deal with our lease extension?

If you are instructing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Teignmouth conveyancing firm) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you speak with two or three firms including non Teignmouth conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. Where the conveyancing practice is ALEP accredited then that’s a bonus. Some following of questions could be helpful:

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

  • Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Teignmouth with the purpose of saving time on the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Teignmouth can be avoided if you appoint lawyers as soon as you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information needed by the purchasers’ lawyers.
    • The majority freeholders or Management Companies in Teignmouth levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should find out the actual amount of the charges. The management pack can be applied for as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The typical amount of time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Teignmouth.
  • A minority of Teignmouth leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers obtain 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 actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers.
  • If there is a history of any disputes with your landlord or managing agents it is essential that these are settled prior to the flat being put on the market. The buyers and their solicitors will be warry about purchasing a property where there is an ongoing dispute. You will have to accept that you will have to 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 ahead of the contract papers being issued to the buyers’ solicitors. You will still have to reveal particulars of the dispute to the purchasers, but it is better to reveal the dispute as historic as opposed to ongoing.
  • If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should make sure that you are holding the original share certificate. Organising a re-issued share certificate is often a lengthy process and delays many a Teignmouth home move. If a new share is necessary, you should approach the company director and secretary or managing agents (if relevant) for this at the earliest opportunity.

  • In relation to leasehold conveyancing in Teignmouth what are the most common lease problems?

    There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Teignmouth. Most leases are unique and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain provisions are not included. The following missing provisions could result in a defective lease:

    • Repairing obligations to or maintain elements of the property
    • A duty to insure the building
    • 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

    You could encounter difficulties when selling your property if you have a defective lease primarily because it impacts on the ability to obtain a mortgage on the property. Lloyds TSB Bank, Leeds Building Society, and Godiva Mortgages Ltd all have express requirements when it comes to what is expected in a lease. Where a lender has been advised by their lawyers that the lease does not cover certain provisions they may refuse to grant the mortgage, forcing the purchaser to withdraw.

    I acquired a 2 bed flat in Teignmouth, conveyancing was carried out half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimated range of the fair premium for a lease extension? Comparable flats in Teignmouth with over 90 years remaining are worth £261,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 levied per year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2096

    With only 72 years unexpired we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £8,600 and £9,800 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

    The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs without more comprehensive investigations. Do not use the figures in tribunal or court proceedings. There may be other issues 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 Teignmouth