I am hoping to exchange soon on a ground floor flat in West Acton. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they are sending me a report on Monday. What should I be looking out for?

Your report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in West Acton should include some of the following:

• Does the lease prohibit wood flooring?

Will you be prohibited or prevented from having pets in the property?

You must be told what constitutes a Nuisance in the lease

Ground rent - how much and when you need to pay, and also know whether this is subject to change

Changes to the flat (alterations and additions)

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 options are open to you if a neighbour is in violation of a provision in their lease? For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in West Acton please ask your solicitor in ahead of your conveyancing in West Acton

I have just started marketing my 2 bed apartment in West Acton.Conveyancing solicitors are to be appointed soon but I have just had a quarterly service charge invoice – Do I pay up?

The sensible thing to do is discharge the invoice 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 until 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. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I've recently bought a leasehold property in West Acton. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

In a situation 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 West Acton conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

When appointing a conveyancer for your lease extension (regardless if they are a West Acton conveyancing firm) it is essential that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We suggested that you make enquires with several firms including non West Acton conveyancing practices before you instructing a firm. If the firm is ALEP accredited then so much the better. Some following of questions could be useful:

• Can they put you in touch with client in West Acton who can give a testimonial?

What are the charges for lease extension work?

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the disposal of our £175000 apartment in West Acton next week. The freeholder has quoted £408 for Landlord’s certificate, insurance certificate and previous years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge an administration fee for a leasehold conveyance in West Acton?

West Acton conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes usually involves fees being raised by landlords agents :

• Completing pre-contract questions
• Where consent is required before sale in West Acton
• Supplying insurance information
• 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 West Acton leasehold property is £350. For West Acton 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 obliged to provide answers.

Leasehold Conveyancing in West Acton - A selection of Questions you should ask before Purchasing

Are there any major works on the horizon that will likely add a premium to the service charges? It is important to be aware if changing the roof or some other significant cost is due shortly to be shared by the leasehold owners and may well materially increase the the maintenance fees or result in a one off payment. Where a West Acton lease has fewer than 80 years it will have adverse implications on the value of the property. Check with your mortgage company that they are willing to to proceed given the lease term. A short lease means that you will probably have to extend the lease sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of what this would cost. For most West Actonlease extensions you would need to own the premises for a couple of years before you are eligible to carry out a lease extension.

Other Topics

Lease Extensions in West Acton