Quality lawyers for Leasehold Conveyancing in Chiswick

Get a Quote

Leasehold conveyancing in Chiswick 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 Chiswick and across 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 Chiswick leasehold conveyancing

My partner and I may need to let out our Chiswick garden flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We instructed a Chiswick conveyancing firm in 2004 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time get any guidance as to whether the lease allows us to sublet. How do we find out?

A lease dictates the relationship between the landlord and you the flat owner; specifically, it will set out if subletting is prohibited, or permitted but only subject to certain conditions. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no expres ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. Most leases in Chiswick do not prevent an absolute prevention of subletting – such a provision would undoubtedly devalue the flat. Instead, there is usually simply a requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a copy of the tenancy agreement.

Planning to complete next month on a leasehold property in Chiswick. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they will have a report out to me tomorrow. What should I be looking out for?

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

  • You should be sent a copy of the lease
  • The unexpired lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease expires, and aware of the importance of the 80 year mark
  • Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord
  • Setting out your rights in respect of common areas in the block.For instance, does the lease grant a right of way over an accessway or staircase?
  • Do you need to have carpet in the flat or are you allowed wood flooring?
  • 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 For a comprehensive list of information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Chiswick please enquire of your conveyancer in advance of your conveyancing in Chiswick

    • Can you offer any advice when it comes to appointing a Chiswick conveyancing practice to carry out our lease extension conveyancing?

    When appointing a property lawyer for lease extension works (regardless if they are a Chiswick conveyancing practice) it is imperative that they be familiar with the legislation and specialises in this area of work. We recommend that you make enquires with several firms including non Chiswick 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:

    • How experienced is the firm with lease extension legislation?
  • What are the charges for lease extension work?

    • Can you provide any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Chiswick from the point of view of saving time on the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Chiswick can be reduced where you appoint lawyers the minute your agents start advertising the property and ask them to put together the leasehold documentation which will be required by the purchasers’ solicitors.
    • The majority landlords or Management Companies in Chiswick charge for providing management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should discover the actual amount of the charges. The management information can be applied for 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 usual reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Chiswick.
  • If you have carried out any alterations to the premises would they have required Landlord’s permission? Have you, for example laid down wooden flooring? Chiswick leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or addition of wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord consenting to such alterations. Should you dont have the consents to hand you should not communicate with the landlord without contacting your solicitor in the first instance.
  • If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should ensure that you have the original share document. Obtaining a duplicate share certificate can be a lengthy process and frustrates many a Chiswick conveyancing transaction. If a new share is necessary, do contact the company officers or managing agents (if relevant) for this sooner rather than later.
  • You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but you should verify this by asking your lawyers. A buyer’s conveyancer will not be happy to advise their client to where the lease term is less than 80 years. It is therefore essential at an as soon as possible that you consider whether the lease requires a lease extension. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale.

    • If all goes to plan we aim to complete the sale of our £125000 apartment in Chiswick next Thursday . The managing agents has quoted £372 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and previous years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Chiswick?

    Chiswick conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes usually involves the purchaser’s lawyer submitting questions for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to respond to such questions the majority will be content to assist. They are at liberty levy a reasonable administration fee for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some transactions it is in excess of £800. The management information fee demanded by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of rights and obligations in relation to administration charges, without which the charge is not strictly payable. In reality you have little choice but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to complete the sale of your home.

    I am the registered owner of a garden flat in Chiswick. Given that I can not reach agreement with the freeholder, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal make a decision on the premium due for the purchase of the freehold?

    Where there is a missing landlord or where there is disagreement about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to make a decision on the price.

    An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Chiswick property is Flat 1 30 Ennismore Avenue in September 2010. the Tribunal adopted and arrived at a premium for the lease extension of £29, 900 This case affected 1 flat. The the unexpired residue of the current lease was 68.34 years.

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Chiswick