Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Houghton Regis:

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When it comes to leasehold conveyancing in Houghton Regis, you will need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor with leasehold experience. Whether your lender is to be Clydesdale , RBS or NatWest be sure to find a lawyer on their approved list. Feel free to use our search tool

Top Five Questions relating to Houghton Regis leasehold conveyancing

My fiance and I may need to sub-let our Houghton Regis ground floor flat temporarily due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Houghton Regis conveyancing firm in 2004 but they have since shut and we did not have the foresight to get any guidance as to whether the lease prohibits the subletting of the flat. How do we find out?

A small minority of properties in Houghton Regis do contain a provision to say that subletting is only allowed with permission. The landlord is not entitled to unreasonably withhold 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.

I today plan to offer on a house that appears to meet my requirements, at a great figure which is making it all the more appealing. I have just been informed that the title is leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a house with a leasehold title in Houghton Regis. Conveyancing lawyers have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Houghton Regis ?

The majority of houses in Houghton Regis are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local conveyancer who is familiar with the area can help the conveyancing process. We note that you are purchasing in Houghton Regis in which case you should be looking for a Houghton Regis conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a tenant you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want to the property. The lease will likely included provisions such as requiring the landlord’spermission to carry out changes to the property. You may also be required to pay a service charge towards the upkeep of the communal areas where the house is located on an estate. Your conveyancer will report to you on the legal implications.

Last month I purchased a leasehold property in Houghton Regis. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before 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. 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).

Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Houghton Regis with the aim of expediting the sale process?

  • Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Houghton Regis can be avoided where you appoint lawyers as soon as you market your property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation needed by the buyers representatives.
  • The majority freeholders or managing agents in Houghton Regis levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold homes. You or your lawyers should find out the actual amount of the charges. The management information sought on or before finding a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most common cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Houghton Regis.
  • In the event that you altered the property did you need the Landlord’s permission? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Most leases in Houghton Regis state that internal structural alterations or installing wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord consenting to such alterations. Where you fail to have the paperwork to hand you should not communicate with the landlord without checking with your solicitor first.
  • A minority of Houghton Regis leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers obtain financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference will need to confirm that the buyers are 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 actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the purchasers or their solicitors.
  • If you hold a share in a the freehold, you should make sure that you are holding the original share certificate. Obtaining a duplicate share certificate can be a lengthy formality and frustrates many a Houghton Regis conveyancing transaction. Where a reissued share certificate is needed, do contact the company officers or managing agents (where applicable) for this as soon as possible.

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

    There is nothing unique about leasehold conveyancing in Houghton Regis. Most leases is drafted differently and legal mistakes in the legal wording can result in certain provisions are not included. For example, if your lease is missing any of the following, it could be defective:

    • Repairing obligations to or maintain parts of the property
    • A duty to insure the building
    • Clauses dealing with recovering service charges for expenditure on the building or common parts.
    • Maintenance charge proportions which don’t add up to the correct percentage

    You may have a problem when selling your property if you have a defective lease as they can affect a potential buyer’s ability to obtain a mortgage. Santander, Chelsea Building Society, and Clydesdale 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 provide security, forcing the purchaser to pull out.

    I am the registered owner of a 1st floor flat in Houghton Regis, conveyancing was carried out in 2003. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent flats in Houghton Regis with a long lease are worth £200,000. The ground rent is £55 yearly. The lease runs out on 21st October 2097

    You have 72 years remaining on your lease the likely cost is going to be between £12,400 and £14,200 as well as plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

    The figure above a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you a more accurate figure without more comprehensive due diligence. Do not use this information in tribunal or court proceedings. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Houghton Regis